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The launderer. 



A PRACTICAL TREATISE 



THE MANAGEMENT AND THE 

OPERATION OF A STEAM 

LAUNDRY 



D. H. BENJAMIN. 



First Edition - - First Thousand. 



CINCINNATI : 

THE STARCHROOM PUBLISHING CO., 

GOODALL BUILDING. 



L.ibMtpy of Cocmrew 

T\w) CotHES Received 
DEC 12 1900 

SECOND copy 



OfiOfiR OiVtSION 

DEC 171900 



Copyright 1900, By 

The Starchroom Publishing Co., 

Cincinnati, Ohio. 



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PREFACE. 



IT HAS often been stated that there is no technical 
work published on the laundry industry, and as a 
need of such work has often been suggested to the writer, 
and being convinced that it would be appreciated by 
the general laundry public he has attempted to meet 
the requirements of the trade and herewith offers the 
following work, hoping that it wall be received and 
awarded such merits as a true criticism will give. 
There has been an attempt to set forth a practical, 
common-sense standard which can be generally fol- 
lowed, and a like technical information which will 
aid the novice and professional to overcome many of 
the perplexing difficulties which arise in the laundry 
business. The reader may not agree Avitli everything 
in this book, as the writer is fully aware of the diversity 
of opinions in the methods and operation of a laundry, 
and while the points herein set forth are in every way 
practical, no doubt there are many Avhich can be im- 
proved. The writer makes no claim to superior know- 
ledge, but only sets forth his experience and observa- 
tion in the practical workings of the laundry business 
in its various departments. It is quite impossible in a 
work of this kind to make it broad enough to cover 
every condition that may arise. The reader may find 
it necessary to depart here and there from the text of 
this work to meet the requirements of different condi- 

iii 



tions which exist in different localities, and he should 
study the work and adjust it to his conditions, and not 
try to adjust his conditions to the work. The greater 
diversity between men's opinions and the opinions 
here given will be in the plans of the laundry, the 
arrangement of the machinery and the application of 
the machines more than the methods of operation. As 
this work is the result of one man's experience, of 
course there are many existing conditions which have 
never come under his observation, and which may be 
found to be omitted. 

It is impossible, without extending the number lof 
pages beyond reasonable limits, to illustrate every 
laundry machine. For this reason only a few of the 
prevailing types have been shown in any one case. 
The selection of any one machine must not be under- 
stood to indicate that the author is partial to the par- 
ticular machine illustrated. The purchaser should 
fully consider the varying conditions which are to be 
met, and select the machine best suited to them. 

The prospective purchaser should not be guided 
in his selection of machinery by reported failures on 
the part of any one machine in a laundry. It is an 
undisputed fact that a failure upon the part of one 
laundryman to successfully operate a machine has 
been completely offset by the complete success of an- 
other laundryman with the identical make of ma- 
chine. 

D. H, Benjamin. 
Ionia, Michigan, October, 1900. 



CONTENTS. 



PART FIRST— NEW WORK. 

CHAPTER 1. 

Page 
Introductory. Classification of laundry work— General re- 
quirements of the difierent grades of new work .... 1 

CHAPTER 2. 

EtjuiPMENT OF A New Shirt Plant. Machinery and fittings 
for a plant with a capacity of forty dozen shirts per 
day — The dash wheel — Washers — Plans for heating 
water — The water purifier — Extractors and speeds for 
same — Soap making 3 

CHAPTER 3. 

Process of Washing. Importance of color — Management of 
dyes — White shirts — Operation of the dash wheel — 
Bleaching — Dipping — Making starch — Extracting — 
Handling colored work — "Wash overs" 18 

CHAPTER 4. 

The Starchroom. Location — Cement floors — Starching ma- 
chines — Wiping — Starch cookers — Arrangement of 
the machinery — Hanging shirts — Hanging collars and 
cuflis — Quality required for new work 33 

CHAPTER 5. 

The Drykoom. Theories applied to drying — How clothes 
are dried — Comparison of methods— Ventilation — Dry 
rooms described — Importance of removing goods at 
the proper time 64 

CHAPTER 6. 

The Dampening Room. Location — Importance of cleanli- 
ness — Dampening machines — Arrangement of racks — 
Uniform dampness essential — The shirt press — The 
dampening truck — Dampening for hand ironers .... 73 



— VI — 

CHAPTER 7. 

Page 
The Ironing Eoom. Available kinds of gas — Gas ma- 
chines — Arrangement of piping — Gas burners — Blow- 
ers — Air pumps 88 

CHAPTER 8. 

Ironing-Room Methods. Three methods in use — Hand 
ironing — Machine ironing — Ironing by hand and 
machine — Devices necessary in a modern plant — 
Ironing machines — Stretching devices — Speed of 
ironers 98 

CHAPTER 9. 

The Back Ironer. The various types described 1C6 

CHAPTER ]0. 
jS'eck and Wristband Ironers. General description — Diffi- 
culties in operation — Importance of low speeds — Roll 
ironers — Shoe ironers Ill 

CHAPTER 11. 
The Bosom-Fixing Table and the Yoke-Setting Machine. 
Putting the shirt in shape — Construction of the 
bosom-fixing table — Operation of the yoke-setter . . .117 

CHAPTER 12. 

Sleeve and Body Ironers. How to iron a sleeve — Ironing 
bodies — Description of the various machines — How 
to prevent shirts sticking together — Folding shirts — 
Equipment for the folder 120 

CHAPTER 13. 
Process of Ironing by Machines. Covering for the ironing 
table — How to put the shirt on the table — Ironing the 
inside yoke — Temperature of the irons 128 

CHAPTER 14. 
Bosom Ironing. The foundation of a well ironed shirt — 
Limitations of the ironing machine — Order of op- 
erations — Pressure and dampness — Ironing inside 
yokes — Difficulties in yoke ironing — Appearance of a 
correctly ironed shirt — Ironing open fronts — Pique 
and plaited bosoms — Sponging — Methods required 
with the several types of machines — The use of the 
split felt 131 



CHAPTER 15. 

Page 
Ironing Backs, Neckbands and Wristbands. Ironing 

backs a simple operation— How to manage the back 

ironer — Difficulties involved in neckband ironing — 

Essentials in ironing neckbands — Order of operations 

in neckband ironing — Importance of practice — How 

to iron a wristband — Size of the covered roll 138 

CHAPTER 16. 

Bosom Fixing. Fixing the final operation in shaping the 
shirt — Making the shirt lie fiat — Fixing open fronts — 
How to handle the flat-iron — Temperature of the flat- 
iron 143 

CHAPTER 17. 

Yoke Setting. Method of operation — How to place the 
shirt on the machine — Spraying and dampening — Im- 
portance of a hot iron 147 

CHAPTER 18. 

Sleeve and Body Ironing. How to hold the shirt — Direc- 
tion of the ironing movement — Changing sleeves — 
Putting the shirt on the body ironer 151 

CHAPTER 19. 

Folding Shirts. Equipment for the folder — The process 
employed — Where to make the creases — The shirt 
should be compact 154 

CHAPTER 20. 

The Examining Room. Equipment for the examiner — His 
duties— Care in handling "wash overs" — Repairing — 
Eyelet raisers . 156 

CHAPTER 21. 

Boxing. Arrangement of the boxing table — Sorting shirts — 

Packing shirts 159 

CHAPTER 22. 

Ironing Shirts Partly by Machinery and Finishing by 
Hand. Parts to be ironed by machinery — Finish- 
ing — The finishing table— Advantages of this plan . . 162 



CHAPTER 23. 

Page 
Hand Ironing, Individuality of the hand ironer — Intelli- 
gence required — How hand work is dampened — The 
equipment necessary — Process employed — Ironing 
open fronts — Shirts that must be ironed by hand . . . 164 

CHAPTER 24. 

Laundering Negligee Work. Definition of negligee — 
Portions laundried — Ironing the neckbands — The 
ironingtable— Dampening— Method of ironing — Fold- 
ing soft shirts — The folding table — Pinning— Puff 
bosoms — Madras and percale — Starching the bands 
on a soft shirt 168 

CHAPTER 25. 

Collar and Cuff Ironing. Principles of the machines em- 
ployed — Construction of collar and cuff ironers — De- 
scription of the various types— Capacities of the vari- 
ous machines— The collar tipper — Steam heated iron- 
ers — The seam dampener — The collar shaper — The 
edge ironer 174 



PART SECOND— CUSTOM WORK. 

CHAPTER 1. 

Custom or Old Work Laundering. Comparison of old and 
new work laundering — Chief requisites in laundering 
old work — The standard of good laundry work - . . 195 

CHAPTER 2. 

The Washrooji. Necessity of washing clean — The floor — 
The water supply — Storing hot water — A simple wa- 
ter heater — Arrangement of power transmission de- 
vices 198 

CHAPTER 3. 

Washing Machines. General remarks upon the modern 
types — The work done on modern machines practi- 
cally uniform — Modifications of the prevailing type — 
Examples of standard makes — The disinfecting ma- 
chine 202 



CHAPTER 4. 

Page 
Filters. The office of the laundry filter — Where filters are 
needed the most — The principle of filtering— Exam- 
ples — The coagulant — Washing the filter bed — Me- 
chanical action — The proper size for a laundry — Fre- 
quency of washing 217 

CHAPTER 5. 

Odds and Ends. The tumbler — The dipwheel— Stationary 
tubs — Power roll wringers — Bluing tanks — Tanks for 
soaking soiled clothing — Scales and graduated glasses 224 

CHAPTER 6. 

Methods in the Washroom — Washing White Shirts. 
Soaking — How a washer should be loaded — Tempera- 
ture of wash water— Soap spots — Necessity for bleach- 
ing—Management of bleach— Coloring — Scouring — 
Test for acetic acid — When to bleach 229 

CHAPTER 7. 
Washing Woolens. Prevention of shrinking — How to 

wash them in a machine— Stretching before drying . 237 

CHAPTER 8. 
Washing Colored Shirts. Danger of fading — Necessity of 
using neutral soap — Colored bosoms with white bod- 
ies—Fancy shirts with soft bosoms — The common 
negligee shirt — Ladies' white skirts — Ladies' under- 
wear—Dark colored flannels and black stockings — 
Table linen, etc. — Miscellaneous goods — Lace curtains 238 

CHAPTER 9. 

The Starchroom. Comparison of methods for old and for 
new work — Shirt starchers— Examples of shirt starch- 
ers — The various principles involved — The arrange- 
ment of the machinery in the starchroom 244 

CHAPTER 10. 
Starchroom Methods. The proper starch for custom work 
— Operation of the shirt starcher — Use of the dip- 
wheel — Collar and cufF starching — Wiping — Finish- 
ing — Removing air bubbles— Distributing wrinkles — 
Starch for the dipwheel— Stripping devices — Cause of 
failure in collar starching 254 



CHAPTER 11. 

Page 
The Dampening Room. When to dampen — Dampening 

sheets — Dampening presses — Sprayers — Handling 

miscellaneous articles 270 

CHAPTER 12. 

The Ironing Room. General methods— Shirt ironing — The 
several types of bosom ironers with examples — Neck- 
band and yoke clamps — Domestic and gloss tinishes — 
Pressure on bosom ironers — Finishing machines — 
The arrangement of ironing machines — The bosom- 
fixing table 274 

CHAPTER 13. 

Ironing-Room Methods. Comparison with new work meth- 
ods — Requirements for a custom laundered shirt — 
Ironing yokes — Placing bosoms on the bosom board- 
How to launder a shirt — Faults to avoid in ironing a 
shirt — Use of the neckband clamp — Pressure — Open 
fronts — Plaited bosoms — Pique shirts — Relative mer- 
its of neckband ironers — Necessity of a soft padded 
roll — Body ironing — Fixing a crushed neckband . . 285 

CHAPTER 14. 

Negligee Shirts and Ladies' Waists. Ironing negligees 
entirely by machine — Silk fronts — Necessity of iron- 
ing waists by hand 297 

CHAPTER 15. 

Collar and Cuff Ironing. Requirements of country and 
of city trade — Theories about gloss finish — Machines 
that will produce the highest gloss — Dampening for 
gloss finish — Machines suitable for several grades of 
finish — Conditions necessary for good results — How 
to cover the padded roll — Frequency with which 
cover should be changed — The saw-edge machine . 299 

CHAPTER 16. 

Miscellaneous Ironing. White duck coats — The " Jumbo " 
flat-iron — Ladies' skirts and underwear — Fluters — 
The steam-heated body ironer 30& 



CHAPTER 17. 



Page 



Marking, Sorting and Handling Laundry Work. Plan 
for a laundry doing $500 worth of work per week — 
Marking the lists — Marking the garments — Location 
and size of the marks — Size of a lot — Separation of 
the goods in the wash room — Numbering the lots — 
Sorting shirts and underwear — Sorting collars and 
cuffs — Assembling the bundles — Checking — " Spe- 
cials " *..... 310 



PART THIRD— MANGLE WORK. 

CHAPTER 1. 

Mangle Work — Comparison with Ordinary Work. Plants 
equipped expressly for mangle work — Where mangles 
are extensively used — Capabilities of the modern 
mangle — Their effect upon the price of flat work — 
Mangles for custom laundries — Wide diversity of 
mangle work 317 

CHAPTER 2. 

Arrangement of the Washroom. Necessity of arranging 
for economy of time — The washing machine — Special 
extractors — Bluing tanks 320 

CHAPTER 3. 

Methods of Washing Mangle Work. Sorting the work 
Rinsing — Bleaching — Coloring — Time required to 
wash fiat work — Starching seldom required — Finish 
for napkins and table linen 323 

CHAPTER 4. 

The Mangle Room. Ventilation — The floor — Supply of 
steam — The ventilating fan — Steam traps — Necessity 
for a steam trap — Table of temperatures of steam at 
various pressures 326 

CHAPTER 5. 

Steam Mangles. Classification — Examples — Capacities — 
Material for covering mangle drums — How to get the 
best finish — Speed — Feeding devices 830 



— xu — 

CHAPTER 6. 

Page 
Methods of the Mangle Room. The tumbler — Straighten- 
ing out after extracting— Feeding — Requisites of good 
mangle work — Folding — Finishing 346 

ADDENDA. 

Formula for making potash soap for woolens — Formula for 

making bleach solution 349 

TABLES. 

Temperatures of steam at various pressures 329 

Table of water analyses 350 

Index 353 



THE LAUNDERER. 

CHAPTER 1. 

INTRODUCTORY. 

The laundry industry is divided, naturally, into 
two distinct classes of work, laundering and relaun- 
dering. When the garment is new, it is laundered. 
After it has become soiled, it must be relaundered, 
and, while the character of the work is similar to first 
laundering, the method employed is somewhat different. 
In the present work, the subject of laundering new 
work will be taken up first, and that of relaundering 
afterwards. 

The laundering of new shirts, collars and cuffs, 
must be done perfectly, and, in the present state of 
competition, manufacturers have brought the launder- 
ing of their goods to the highest degree of excellence. 
Anyone making a good garment, and poorly launder- 
ing it, has but little chance in the sale of his goods, 
when competing with the manufacturer who may make 
a poorer class of goods, but who launders them well, 
and who therefore finds a ready market for his output. 

The laundering of new goods has become an art, 
and the volume of business done is regulated by the 
character of the laundry work, much more than by the 

1 



— 2 — 

manner in which the goods are made. A poorly made 
garment, nicely washed, starched and ironed will make 
a far better appearance than a well-made garment poorly 
washed, starched or ironed, and it will be observed in 
all manufacturing that greater talent, skill and energy 
are put into this department than anywhere else. If 
you should inquire where the turning point in the busi- 
ness is, you would surely get as the answer, "The 
laundry." Therefore, anyone starting out to launder 
new work must be prepared to strive for perfection in 
everv detail. 



3 — 



CHAPTER 2. 

EQUIPMENT OF A JSTEW-SHIKT PLANT. 

Washroom. Capacity, 40 dozen shirts per day. 

One four-pocket dash wheel; one thirty-inch ex- 
tractor ; one hot-water tank in rear of dash weel ; one 
hluing- and starch-tank in rear of and connected with 
dash wheel; stationary tubs; soap tanks; crocks for 
water heater, etc. 

DESCRIPTION. 

A dash wheel is a washing machine having an inside 
cylinder about eight feet in diameter and three feet 
wide, with four partitions through its periphery, form- 
ing a cross at the center and dividing the space into 
four three-cornered compartments or pockets. This 
cylinder is perforated and it revolves in a water-tight 
case. It has no reverse motion, but runs continuously 
in one direction. Each compartment has a door, and 
ten dozen shirts may be placed in every one. The 
outer case has also an opening, which is closed by a 
water-tight door. Shirts are tied around the body, 
with the arms secured so that they can not become 
entangled while revolving in the machine. An illustra- 
tion of a dash wheel is shown in Fig. 1. 

The action of the machine is as follows : the same 
number of shirts, say ten dozen, is placed in each one 
of the four pockets ; the machine is made to revolve 
and the goods are dippfed down into the washing solu- 
tion, whatever it may be, and are then carried up over 



— 4 — 

the center and dashed from one corner of the pocket 
to the other. Goods change positions in a dash wheel 
four times in each revolution, this making a dash wheel 
much more effectual than the common cylinder washer, 
because of the greater action in each revolution. 




Fig. 1. DASH VnrETilj, 

(Troy Laundry Machinery Co.) 

If new work is to be undertaken, the author would 
strongly advise the use of a dash wheel. It is more 
economical in material, and is more effectual in pound- 
ing the sizing and color from the fibre, l^ew goods come 
from the bleaeheries filled with sizing, and have a very 



— 5 — 

tenacious green shade all of which has to be removed 
before a fine color can be established, and nothing is 
so effectual in accomplishing this as a dash wheel. 
Light shirts may be washed satisfactorily in a small 
machine, but heavy muslins, like Wamsutta and New 
York Mills never should be washed in a cylinder ma- 
chine ; otherwise the seams will be yellow, and the 
bosoms more or less streaked in spite of anything that 
can be done. Examine the binding of a bosom, for 
instance, where several thicknesses are tightly stitched 
down ; it is impossible to thoroughly bleach and destroy 
this color in the goods in the cylinder machine, con- 
sequently, when the bluing is applied, it will not ''take" 
in these seams, and, when the shirt is ironed the seams 
will be yellow. Such shirts must be washed in a dash 
wheel,, where they will receive heavy "pounding," in 
order to thoroughly saturate all parts of the shirt with 
the washing solution. 

CONNECTIONS OF A DASH WHEEL. 

Dash wheels should be connected with hot and cold 
water, and steam, using large water pipes in order that 
the machine may be filled quickly. It should have large 
sewer connections, so that it may be emptied promptly. 
A water glass to indicate the depth of water in the ma- 
chine is also a valuable adjunct. Makers of dash wheels 
seldom put on water glasses, unless specially requested 
to do so. But a machine without a water glass can be 
operated only by having holes bored in the side of the 
machine, so that the water may run out when it has 
reached the level of the holes, thus indicating the amount 
of water in the machine. This is a very uncertain 
ojieration, and to insure uniformity of results it is 
necessarv to have a Avater glass. 



There should be erected on an elevated platform 
a stationary tank, and this tank should be connected 
with the machine. There should be an open steam 
pipe leading into the tank, for cooking the dipping 
starch, and heating the bluing and souring solutions. 
The tank should be made large enough to hold all the 
water, or solution of any kind, that the dash wheel may 
require at one time. There should be steps leading to 
this platform, and everything about this tank equip- 
ment should be made as convenient as possible, for the 
whole operation of the washing is done by the means of 
this elevated tank. In this tank all solutions are mixed 
and properly prepared before being run into the ma- 
chine. To the rear of the machine there is usually 
attached an aluminum soap tank, for putting the soap 
or any other solution into the machine. 

The ordinary dash wheels are belted directly, with- 
out gearing, from a countershaft, which is furnished 
with the machine. The speed of the dash wheel should 
not be over twenty-eight turns per minute, if it runs 
much faster than this, the goods are swung completely 
around by centrifugal force and receive no action what- 
ever. It is necessary to use the very best double belt 
to run a dash wheel, as it must run quite slowly, and 
the belt has to be very taut. 

In case one desires to use a cylinder washer, for the 
purpose of washing new shirts, the author wishes to 
state that it is necessary to erect an elevated tank in 
connection with the machine in the same manner as that 
described in connection with the dash wheel, and for 
the same purj)Ose. A cylinder machine, in its essential 
details, will be described later. 

It is absolutely necessary, in any washroom, whether 



it be for new work or old, to have some sort of hot-water 
system. Having hot water, not only facilitates and 
shortens the process of washing, but enables one to get 
better results than from heating cold water by steam. 
Every change of water should be of the same tempera- 
ture, as the water preceding it, and this condition can 
only be brought about by having a supply of hot water 
always ready for use. 

There are several different methods of obtaining 
hot water, the most a23proved plan being the utilization 
of exhaust steam from the engine. Of course, if an 
engine is not used, then live steam must be let into the 
water tank directly, but in almost all steam laundries 
today, a steam engine is employed. A regular hot- 
water plant consists of a large elevated tank, used for 
storage, and the water passing into this tank, and then 
through an exhaust steam heater, becomes heated from 
exhaust steam. 

There are many makes of hot-water heaters, but 
where there is a mineral deposit in the water, the author 
advises the use of that class of heater which not only 
heats the water, but also removes the greater percentage 
of mineral deposit. In this kind of heater the steam 
is exhausted at the bottom of a large steel tube ; at the 
bottom of this tube is placed excelsior, and above the 
excelsior several sections of plates of iron. Water is 
admitted at the top, flows over these plates, and as it 
falls it j^asses through the steam, when the mineral 
deposit is ^precipitated, the water becomes heated, and 
is jDu.mped into the elevated tank. This class of heater 
has an oil separator, which removes all oil that there 
may be in the exhaust steam, and prevents any of it 
from getting into the hot water. An example of this 
form of heater is shown in Fia;. 2. 




Fig. 3. MONITOR ■WATER PXTRIFIEK. 

(Monitor Water Purifier Co.) 

Another form of heater, which is much used, con- 
sists of an arrangement similar to the one already de- 
scribed, except tliat the inside is filled with coils of 
copper pipe, through which the exhaust steam passes. 
This heater is filled with cold water, and receives the 
heat from the steam bj radiation through the copper 
pipe, whence it flows by pressure into the tank. With 
this kind of heater no pump is required. 

A very cheaj) method of heating water is as follows : 
Have an elevated tank, in the bottom of which has been 
placed a coil of steam pijie, through which the steam is 
to be exhausted from the engine so that the steam heat 
will radiate through the pipes into the water. The 
coil, in this case, should be sufficient to radiate all the 
heat in the steam, and should any steam escape when 
the tank is filled with cold water, it would indicate that 
more coil is required. With this arrangement, when 
the tank is first filled with cold water, no steam should 
exhaust into the open air. The coil must have an out- 
let, for when the water becomes hot, the steam will not 



condense in the coil, and it therefore must escape or pro- 
duces a back jiressure on the engine. I consider this 
arrangement very desirabk^, as it not only serves as a 
hot water heater, but produces a partial vacuum in the 
exhaust jjij^es by the steam becoming condensed, and 
thus increases the power of the engine. In other words, 
it serves the jiurpose, to a certain extent, of a steam- 
engine condenser. 

This storage hot-water tank may be placed in any 
convenient position in, or outside the building. It 
should be elevated sufficiently to allow the water in the 
bottom of the tank to gravitate to the washing machines. 
There is very little danger of its freezing, the water 
always being hot. The only difficulty that might arise, 
would be with the water freezing in the pipes leading 
from the tank into the building. But no trouble should 
be experienced if these pipes are well protected. If 
necessary to have a tank outside, it is practical to so 
place it. The tank should be connected with the wash- 
ing machines, to the elevated tank in rear of washing 
machines, and to the stationary tubs or other places 
where hot water is needed. 

In the equipment of a washroom, a good extractor 
is a very important adjunct. There are many makes of 
extractors, but all embody the same principle, i. e., the 
extraction of the moisture from the goods by centrifugal 
force. All the moisture is not removed by the extractor, 
however, and the machine that can run at the highest 
rate of speed with safety, is the most desirable machine 
to buy, because the greater the ninnber of revolutions 
of the basket, the greater the amount of water that will 
be extracted. 

The universal type of extractor is constructed as 



— 10 — 

follows : A perforated steel cylinder or basket is 
mounted on an upright shaft, in yielding bearings, and 
driven by a pulley on the lower end of the shaft. The 
basket is enclosed in a water-tight casing which is open 
at the top. The yielding bearings are necessary to allow 
the machine to revolve on the center of the centrifugal 
force. It is impossible to place goods in an extractor 
perfectly in balance, and if the machine is made with 
rigid bearings, and operated at a high rate of speed, it 
will run with great vibration, on account of the load 
being out of balance. When, however, it is mounted 
in yielding bearings, and the shaft allowed to oscillate, 
the mass of weight will find its own center and revolve 
on the same principle as a top, without causing any 
vibration to the machine or the foundations. The prin- 
ciple point of merit in an extractor is that it is capable 
of being run at a high rate of speed with its load very 
greatly out of balance. The best extractor being that 
which can be run at the highest speed and the most out 
of balance. The yielding bearings are usually an 
arrangement of springs in the bearing directly under- 
neath the basket, and the lower end of the shaft is 
mounted in a ball bearing. This allows the shaft to 
oscillate and swing about its lower extremity. See il- 
lustrations, Fig. ?>, 4 and 5. 

Another very good type of extractor, which, in the 
author's judgment, is built on the best scientific prin- 
ciples, is that in which the shaft extends above the 
basket, with the upper end secured, in a ball bearing, 
while the lower end rests in a movable box. In this 
type of machine, gravity acts in place of springs. The 
objection to an arrangement of this kind, is that the 
machine driven from above, and to have the shaft ex- 
tending above the machine, is not so convenient as when 



11 




Fig. 3. EXTRACTOK. 

(American Laundry Machinery Co.) 



— 12 — 

the machine is driven from below. Manufacturers of 
this type of machine, however, have brought it to the 
highest state of perfection, and its many advantages 
quite outweigh this objection. An example of this type 
is shown in Fig. 6. 

Extractors are dangerous machines, at the best, 
and they should be handled with the utmost care. If 
they are run at too high a speed, there is danger of an 
explosion, and when an extractor explodes, the result 
is almost equal to that of a boiler explosion, and it 
may be very destructive to life and j)roperty. There 
'is great danger, also, in running this machine too much 
out of balance. Many times the vibration causes the 
bending of the shaft or breaking of the spring, in which 
case the results are likely to be disastrous. 

An extractor is driven by. a countershaft, which is 
generally furnished with the machine. It is well to 
have a friction pulley on the countershaft, which drives 
the machines, to take the slip or lost motion when 
starting. It takes quite an amount of power to start 
an extractor, but after it has reached its speed very 
little power is required to keep it .in motion. There- 
fore, it must be started slowly, and should there be no 
friction pulley, the belts will necessarily slip, in which 
case much damage is caused to the belt, as well as loss 
of power. 

The larger the extractor the less its drying capacity. 
It is the quick travelling of goods around a small circle 
that causes the greatest centrifugal force ; the larger 
the circle the less the centrifugal force at the same 
surface speed. A thirty-inch basket is the most prac- 
tical machine for steam laundries. 

The usual speeds -of standard makes of extractors 
are as follows : 



13 — 




»1 



P4 s 

X 



— 14 




Fig. 5. EXTRACTOR. 

(The F. M. Watkins Co.) 



— 15 




Fi^. 6. EXTKACTOR. 

(A. T. Hagen Co.) 



— 16 — 

20-inch basket, 1,400 revolutions jjer minute. 

24-incli basket, 1,300 revolutions jDer minute. 

26-incli basket, 1,200 revolutions per minute. 

30-inch basket, 1,000 revolutions per minute. 
Sizes larger than 30 inches are unusual, and anyone 
purchasing a machine of larger size should get advice 
regarding the speed from the manufacturer. Extract- 
ors are made as large as 60 inches, but such machines 
are not practical for laundrv purposes, and are used 
more especially in woolen mills and textile manu- 
factories. 

It is doubtful if it is economy for a laundryman 
to manufacture his own soap. There are so many 
thoroughly reliable houses, and competition has brought 
the price of soap to such a low figure, that it does not 
l^ay to make it yourself. In either event, whether 
a laundryman makes his own soap or buys it, a metal 
soap tank is a necessary adjunct to every washroom. 
The usual commercial soap sold to laundries is put up 
in barrels in chips, and to use this soap economically 
it should be boiled up into a liquid soap.. A metal 
tank is necessary for this purpose, as the alkali destroys 
wood fibre, and a wooden tank becomes worthless in a 
very short time. 

The soap tank is preferably made of galvanized 
iron, and, for ordinary washrooms its dimensions should 
be as follows: Diameter, 36 inches; depth, 30 inches; 
made of JSTo. 22 galvanized iron. In the bottom should 
1)0 a circular steam coil, with small holes about one- 
eighth inch diameter, drilled about one inch apart. 
The end of the pipe should be capped, to bompel the 
steam to escape through the holes, and thus produce 
small steam jets all over the bottom of the tank. Water 
.should also be run to this tank. 



- 17 — 



A tank of this size will cook up about a half barrel 
of chipped soap. To use it, proceed as follows : Fill 
the tank about half full of hot water, empty in about 
half a barrel of chip soap, turn on the steam, and boil 
until the entire mass is a saponified liquid. If any 
"building up" is necessary, add it to the soaj) when 
boiling. The author considers it a good plan to buy 
neutral soap, and to strengthen it with caustic soda or 
potash. In this way one knows exactly what he is 
using, and if he is acquainted with the amount of caus- 
tic the stock will saponify, he is never in danger of get- 
ting free alkali in his soap. 

Many manufacturers make what they term a 
"strong" soap. The author has found this soap to 
contain quite an excess of alkali, and alkali in a free 
state in goods is most ruinous in its effects. It destroys 
fibre nearly as quickly as sulphuric acid, and there- 
fore laundrymen must be very careful to determine 
that their soap is not "overloaded." The author does 
not consider it safe to add over 5% of caustic soda to 
pure neutral soap, and if the soap is in any way strong, 
the adding of caustic soda must be undertaken very 
cautiously. However, as the present discussion is on 
the subject of new work, the matter of the strength of 
the soap is not of so great consequence as in the case 
of old work. JSTew goods are very little soiled and only 
need a sudsing to soften the fibre, and make them in 
better condition to receive the other chemicals. In 
case colored goods are being washed, an entirely neutral 
soap is required. 

The necessary equipment for doing new work having 
been described, the process of doing the work will now 
be explained. 



— 18 — 

CHAPTER 3. 

PROCESS OF WASHING. 

The foundation of good work, be it new or old, is 
in good washing; and when I saj washing, I do not 
mean what the word technically implies, but the manner 
of cleansing the goods, the body starching and the 
coloring. Color, especially in new work, is of the 
highest importance, and it is a matter in which every 
manufacturer endeavors to reach perfection. New 
work requires to be decidedly blue in tint, in order 
that it will appear white after it has remained in boxes 
and until it reaches the purchaser. If goods do not 
have this blue tint when they are first laundered, they 
will shortly become yellow and unsightly. It is also 
necessary to have the blue tint well "set" in the goods 
so that it will not easily fade. New goods are rarely 
sold to the consumer in less than six months after they 
are manufactured, and they should therefore have a 
color that will stand that length of time. It is the 
proper manipulation in the Avashroom that gives such a 
color. The author thinks he can safely say that every 
manufacturer of inij^ortance in this country uses 
aniline colors. This dye is easy to handle and rarely 
spots or streaks, as does ultramarine, and, when prop- 
erly used, produces a pure and beautiful shade. How- 
ever, aniline is a very fading color, and must be 
handled with the utmost care or it will escape and leave 
the goods in a yellow condition. The author under- 
stands that ultramarine is used quite extensively in 
Europe, but personal experience with the two colors 



— 19 — 

makes him favor the aniline, and he believes that 
any one acquainted with the method of handling it 
would use no other. Indigo blue and the bluing bag 
are so far behind the times that it is scarcely necessary 
to refer to them at all. 

Under the head of washing new work, white shirts 
will be considered first. Washing white shirts re- 
quires greater care, and the process is more complicated 
than when handling any other work, excepting white 
collars and cuffs. Shirts that are to be washed in a 
dash wheel must be tied in such a manner that they 
may not become entangled, for, in case they should, 
they will not receive ths proper treatment, as the liquid 
can not penetrate the mass of the goods, and the center 
of the mass will not receive the same color as the goods 
on the outside. Moreover, when the goods are in an 
entangled condition they are more likely to be torn, 
and will become so matted together that they can not 
move except as they may slide from side to side in the 
pocket. It very frequently happens that they are worn 
out completely where they come in contact with the 
wood in the machine. 

Tying shirts for the dash wheel consists in binding 
a string around the shirt, securing the arms to the side 
of the shirt and fastening it just below the bosom. When 
a shirt is tied around the bosom the color will not take 
in that part of the bosom with which the string is ini 
contact, resulting in a yellow shade on the shirt at 
or near the bottom of the bosom. Shirts should always 
be tied with a white string, as any sort of colored string 
will stain the goods. 

The ordinary dash wheel will wash forty dozen 
light shirts, or thirty-six dozen heavy shirts, which, 



— 20 — 

when equally divided, will be ten dozen light shirts or 
nine dozen heavy shirts to the package. It is never 
advisable to overload the washing machine, as there 
should be space enough to allow of free action of the 
goods and liquids, in order to produce the desired 
results. If the machine is too full the goods will not 
move as they should. 

Warm water must be admitted into the machine 
while it is in motion, and it should rise to a level of 
about eight inches from the bottom of the machine, as 
indicated in the water glass. 

Soap should then be added, in a quantity sufficient 
to produce a free suds. The goods should be run in 
this suds about thirty minutes. Washing in suds is 
not for the purpose of removing the dirt so much as 
to soften up the fibre and remove all sizing contained 
in the goods. New work is usually very little soiled, 
and consequently it does not require a very strong soap. 
The object to be attained is to free the goods of all 
foreign matter, and leave them in a condition which 
will allow a free action of the process which is to 
follow. After "sudsing," the goods should be thor- 
oughly rinsed in warm water the same temperature 
as the suds, and it should be noted here, that in no 
case should any water enter the machine at a lower 
temperature than the water preceding it. In other 
words, never allow the goods to be cooled below the 
temperature which they have been given already. It 
is recommended that they be rinsed after the suds, 
twice in warm water, and about five minutes each 
time. 

'Rext in order comes the bleaching, which is of the 
highest importance in new work. All muslins that 



— 21 — 

are made into shirts are already bleached, and have 
received a tenacious green shade from the process in 
tlie bleachery. This shade must be entirely removed 
before good color can be produced by the laundryman; 
therefore it is necessary to bleach the goods in order 
to get rid of this green color, but not for the purpose 
of making them any whiter than they really are. 
Goods, when properly bleached in the washing machine, 
should have no color whatever, but they should have a 
natural, pure whiteness, which condition makes it pos- 
sible to treat them successfully by the laundering pro- 
cess. Some muslins require more bleach to bring about 
this result than ethers, and the laundryman must be 
the one to judge to what extent bleaching must be car- 
ried, lie may possibly, after running the goods in a 
certain strength of bleaching solution for some little 
time, find that the color has not been entirely removed, 
and he must then 'add more bleach to the solution, and 
in this way, feeling his way, ascertain the amount 
necessary to produce the desired result. After the 
goods have been rinsed, run in water of the same tem- 
perature and as much as for washing add to this solu- 
tion a quantity of chlorine liquid, the amount being 
regulated by the strength of the liquid. If chloronate 
fluid or chlorozone be used then the author would rec- 
onnuend as a starter for a lot of forty dozen shirts, 
about eighteen liquid ounces. If this is not suflicient 
increase the quantity until the result desired is ob- 
tained. If chlorine liquid, made from chloride of 
lime, be used, and which has the strength of 15 degrees 
Beaume hydrometer test, the author would recommend 
adding 55 fluid ounces and operating the same as with 
manufactured bleach. In either case, be it manufac- 
tured bleach or a solution made from chloride of lime, 



22 

the elements used in this process are the same. There 
are a great many adherents to the manufactured bleach 
liquid, while many others stick to the old process of 
making chlorinated fluid from chloride of lime. See 
formula on page 350. Either solution is practical, and 
it matters little which is used, although the author be- 
lieves that the manufactured article is most convenient 
and q'Liite as economical. Manufacturers of chlorinated 
fluids of this nature claim that their process produces 
more chlorine than can be obtained from chloride of 
lime. They produce a ehloriate from its natural af- 
finity and charge into a solution the caustic soda liquid, 
Avhile chloride of lime absorbs gas, and gives it off again 
when dissolved in the liquid. Of course, anyone can 
understand that the chlorine being incorporated in the 
lime, will escape to a certain degree, and the element 
mainly desired would thus be lost, taking this fact into 
consideration, the chlorinated fluid is, perhaps, the most 
economical. 

It is generally supposed that chlorine does the 
bleaching. This is not the truth of the matter, however, 
It is the oxygen which destroys the color. The chemical 
action is, that the chlorine unites with hydrogen in the 
water, producing hydrochloric acid, and leaving the 
oxygen in the solution, which does the bleaching. 
After the laundryman has ascertained what strength 
of chlorine is necessary to use, it is advisable to run 
the machine in this bleach solution for about thirty 
minutes. After this, the goods should be most thor- 
oughly rinsed in water at a temperature of not less than 
one hundred and eighty degrees. Rinse three or four 
times, from eight to ten minutes each time, having an 
abundant amount of water in the machine. It is ab- 



— 23 — 

solutely necessary to remove every trace of chlorine 
in the goods, or else it will be impossible to produce 
any sort of color. Aniline blue can not act where 
there is any chlorine present, and, in order to thoroughly 
neutralize any chlorine which may remain after rins- 
ing, it is recommended that the goods be treated to a 
solution of water and acetic acid, which is com- 
monly called "souring." This will put the goods in 
a condition to easily take the color, and to retain a 
permanent shade. 

jSText in order comes the matter of coloring, which 
is the fine art in the laundering of new work. It is 
a fact that no two grades of muslin will take a color 
alike, and it is also true that the same process applied 
to a certain brand of muslin at different times, will not 
produce like results in color. The conditions vary in 
the treatment of muslins in the bleacheries, and varia- 
tions in the water in some localities affect these condi- 
tions. Especially, is this true, when using mineral 
water. Water at times seems to contain more mineral 
than at others, and the object to be attained in new 
work, is uniformity in color. In order to obtain uni- 
formity one must meet all conditions. It is not true 
that a formula can be given for the production of a 
uniform color under all conditions, and the man who 
would produce a uniform color must use a great amount 
of ingenuity in handling of solutions. 

What is desired in new work is a true blue, a blue 
that will compare in shade to the sky. It should not 
be green, nor purple, nor violet, but blue. In order 
to get a true blue, one must use the three colors men- 
tioned, green, purple and violet. The operator is ad- 
vised to have a mixture of each shade, and, if in making 



— 24 — 

up the color, it is found that the green predominates, 
add the violet, or, if the the violet predominates, add 
the green, using the purple for the foundation. If 
goods are too green they will look very nice and bright 
when first washed, but they will soon turn yellow, as 
yellow is the next color to green. If, on the other hand, 
they are too violet they will have a dark steel-gray ap- 
pearance. 

In order to insure permanency to the color, and 
brightness in effect, the use of oxalic acid is recom- 
mended, and the author states in this connection that 
if oxalic acid is properly used, nothing harmful will 
result. Oxalic acid has no injurious effect on goods 
when they are in a wet state, but if it is allowed t-o 
remain in the goods, and the goods are dried, then a 
chemical change takes place, and the oxalic acid is very 
destructive. But, if, after using the acid, it is thor- 
oughly rinsed from the goods, there is no danger. The 
use of oxalic acid is recommended also, because it has 
the most natural affinity for aniline color, and for this 
reason it will render those colors most tenacious. 

The author's plan of color with oxalic acid is as 
follows: Draw into the elevated tank, already de- 
scribed, about sixty-five gallons of hot water; add to 
this hot water, for forty dozen shirts, eighteen ounces 
of oxalic acid ; thoroughly dissolve the acid in boiling 
water before pouring into the tub, otherwise the crys- 
tals might remain in the bottom of the tub, and not 
dissolve. Heat the water to a temperature of not less 
than two hundred degrees, and to this add the color. 
The natural effect of oxalic acid on aniline is to pro- 
duce a green shade, and in order to offset this it is nec- 
essarv to use a blue having a strong violet or purple 



— 25 — 

shade. One has to feel his way in this matter, and 
the author woukl suggest not putting as much blue as 
the operator might at first think necessary into this 
oxalic acid solution, but only enough to give the indi- 
cated shade, as more can be added afterward in case 
it is found that the goods are not blue enough, or have 
not the right shade. The author usually immerses the 
shirt by hand in this bluing solution, and when he 
finds that it appears too green, he adds a deeper shade 
of violet, or, if they appear too violet, he adds a deeper 
shade of green, and in this way any desired shade of 
blue may be produced. After having ''tried" the coloi' 
in this way, and finding that it is the right shade, the 
solution is allowed to run into the machine. 

The laundryman will usually find that the goods in 
the machine will not be as blue as the shirt outside 
in the tank, and therefore, when making up the blue 
solution, it is usually necessary to have it several de- 
grees bluer than desired, because, from some cause or 
other, when it enters the machine it will not blue the 
goods in the machine as much, and after several trials 
one can judge quite accurately the shade of the bluing- 
necessary to produce the desired shade in the tank. 

Should the goods not be blue enough, more bluing 
must be added to the machine. This may be done 
through the box at the back. Care must be used to 
pour it in slowly, or else the goods will not receive a 
uniform shade of blue. AVhen the goods become too 
blue the remedy is more troul)lesome to apply. In this 
case it is usually necessary to bleach all the color out 
of them and to begin again, as the oxalic acid renders 
the aniline an almost indelible dye. 'No amount of 
rinsing will remove it; nothing but l)leacli. Therefore 



when the goods are too blue it is about useless to try and 
rinse the color do^vn. Begin again, remembering to 
be more conservative in the amount of colors next time. 

It is necessary to run the goods in this solution not 
less than thirty minutes, and longer if the shirts are 
heavy, in order that the bluing may take well in all 
the thick seams and bands. After the goods have re- 
mained a sufficient length of time in this water-color 
they should be well rinsed three or four times in warm 
water having in it about eight ounces of acetic acid. 
The author usually prepares the rinse-water in the 
tank before letting it into the machine. This is done 
in order to prevent any water coming in contact with 
the goods before it has received the acetic acid. It is 
necessary to use this acid rinse-water to preserve the 
hrightness of tone in the color and prevent fading. Pure 
acetic acid is entirely harmless and will not injure the 
most delicate fabric and, by its use in this way, the 
clothes may be thoroughly rid of the oxalic acid, still 
retain the color, and also any injurious effects from 
the oxalic acid will be prevented. After this rinsing 
the goods are ready for "dipping." 

Dipping consists in starching the shirts with a small 
amount of starch cooked in a large quantity of water. 
!Nearly all new work requires dipping to make it fin- 
ish smoothly and firmly, and to produce a sizing in the 
goods. In the cheaper grades of shirts it is also nec- 
essary to produce stiffness in the body. The lighter 
and cheaper the muslins, the heavier should be the 
dipping, and as the quality improves the quantity of 
dipping is lessened until, reaching the finest grade of 
muslin, which requires but a very little body starch- 
ing, only enough starching is necessary to prevent the 



— 27 — 

bodies from having a '"sloppy" appearance when ironed. 
Dipping also thoroughly fixes the color. It should he 
the object of the laundryman to have the goods the 
same shade after they are dipped as they were after 
being water-colored, and, in order to produce this re- 
sult, a thin shade of bluing is necessary in the dipping. 
As pointed out before, oxalic acid has a tendency 
to turn aniline blue to green, and in order to counter- 
act this it is necessary to use a violet. It is found 
that the dipping has a tendency to turn aniline blue 
to a purple, consequently it is necessary to add green 
to produce the same shade in the goods as with the 
water-color. Should the same combination of bluing 
be used in the dipping as in the water-color the goods 
would turn to a deep ^ iolet or purple, and should the 
same combination be used in the water-color as in the 
dipping the goods would have a green appearance. 
Consequently in the water-color more of the violet shade 
and less of the green must be used, and in the dipping 
more of the green shade and less of the violet. By 
experience one is enabled to so nicely mix his colors 
that the shade of the goods after they are dipped will 
be exactly the same shade as after they are water-col- 
ored, while yet an entirely different combination of 
bluing is used in the dipping. 

It is very difficult, and perhaps impossible, to set 
any formula which can be applied in the matter of 
color. It must all be regulated according to the con- 
ditions and the quality of the goods being treated, and 
the only thing left for the laundryman to do is to have 
his different shades of color and then to study the com- 
binations and effects. It should be stated here that the 
dipping should never be bluer than the goods after the 



— 28 — 

water-color ; if anything, it should be a trifle less blue. 
Should the dipping be bluer it will settle in the heavy 
parts of the shirt, such as the bosoms and bands, and 
cause a mottled appearance when ironed. On very 
light, cheap shirts it is necessary to extract the water 
before the goods are dipped in order that they may 
take more starch and have a heavier feeling when fin- 
ished. Many buyers of this class of goods are verv 
particular about the "weight." In some instances I 
have known buyers to weigh a half dozen shirts, and 
if they did not come up to a certain standard, they 
would be returned, with the statement that the mus- 
lin (?) used was not of the proper weight. Yet it 
was not the muslin which was at fault, but the goods 
were dipped too lightly. 

For a cheap, light shirt the author advises using 
28 pounds of starch and 60 gallons of water for forty 
dozen shirts ; for a medium grade of shirts it is ad- 
visable to use 20 pounds of starch and GO gallons of 
water, and for the best grades of shirts, 10 pounds of 
starch and 60 gallons of water. One can use a fair 
grade of corn starch that may be purchased in the mar- 
ket at present for about 2^ cents a pound. N^early 
all dealers keep this grade of cornstarch, and it will 
answer the purpose as well as a higher priced quality. 
The starch dipping should be boiled in a tank for five 
or ten minutes, and to this solution be added about 
twelve ounces of acetic acid and the required amount 
of bluing. It is also necessary to test the dipping and 
the shade of blue in the same manner as when testing 
the water-color; viz., by dipping a shirt into the solu- 
tion, and in order to ascertain the correct shade it 
would be Avell to examine a shirt after extractino'. This 



— 29 — 

will enable the operator to correctly judge the depth of 
color, whereas, if one looks at a shirt thorou^^lily satu- 
rated with the bluing it appears bluer than it is when 
the starch is extracted and the goods are in a true state 
of color. Goods, when they have the proper color, 
should appear, particularly when held towards the light, 
quite blue, and light coming through the goods should 
be the same tint as the goods. If this is not the case 
and the goods reflect a dull, greenish tint, then the 
color is ^'off," and should they be laundered in this 
condition they will have a very dark appearance. After 
the shade of the dipping starch is considered correct, 
let it run onto the goods for about twenty minutes. 
After this they should be removed from the machine 
and thoroughly extracted. 

It' is advisable to run the goods in the extractor 
twenty minutes, in a machine that is run at twelve 
hundred turns a minute. It is necessary to extract' all 
water possible from the goods before they are sent to 
the starchroom, for any amount of water left in them 
will weaken the starch just so much, and they will be 
proportionately soft. 

The method of washing white shirts is, in brief, as 
follows: Run shirts ten minutes in lukewarm water. 
Rinse well in lukewarm water three times, five min- 
utes each time. Bleach: 16 fluid ounces of chlorin- 
ated fluid, 60 gallons of water. Run thirty minutes. 
Rinse three times in acetic acid solution, ten minutes 
to each rinse. Dip made of 60 gallons of water, 28 
pounds of starch, acetic acid and blue. Run thirty 
minutes ; take out and extract. White collars and 
cufFs are treated in a similar manner to white shirts, 
and the formula is practically the same. 



— 30 — 

The washing of colored bosoms and white bodies is 
an entirely different process from the washing of white 
shirts. Many of the colors in print goods are very 
fading, and in no case can any bleach or oxalic acid be 
used, and but very little acetic acid may be employed. 
In some colors no soap can be used without danger of 
fading the goods. The manufacturers of print goods 
use two kinds of dye ; one has an alkali basis and the 
other has an acid ba.sis. The alkali color will stand 
any amount of soap and not fade, while if too much 
acid should be used, it will cause the color to fade. But 
with the acid-colored goods soap will fade them and 
acid brighten them. As it is not practical to determine 
the nature of every color with which one has to deal, 
it is necessary to make the solutions so nearly neutral 
that they will not affect either color. On the cheap 
grades of colored bosom shirts it is advisable to use no 
soap. Usually the goods are not soiled, and the action 
of the machine, together with the different solutions, 
will cleanse the goods of all dirt or soil they may have 
received when being made. 

It is necessary, also, to warn laundrjTnen never to 
use a hot solution on colored goods. Many goods are 
faded by using too hot starch, and laundrymen are 
prone to attribute it to other causes than this one. 
Colored bosom shirts v.diich have cuff's to match should 
have the cuff's washed with the shirts in order that if 
there be any fading or changing of shade, the cuffs will 
receive the same action as the shirts and will match 
them when laundered. Otherwise the bosoms and the 
cuffs may be of different shades when finished. 

The best method of handling colored bosom work 
is as follows : Rinse goods about fifteen minutes in 



— 31 — 

lukewarm water. The coloring of the bodies of this 
class of goods is better done in the dipping starch. 
This starch should be made in about half the quantity 
of water which is required for the dipping, and after 
the starch is cooked, draw into the solution as much 
cold water as is necessary to dip the goods, and as will 
bring this solution to a temperature which will not 
fade the colors. The dipping should never be any 
hotter than can be borne by the hand. To this solution 
of dip add six ounces of acetic acid, and the required 
shade of blue. The bluing of white bodied shirts 
should be a deeper shade than for white shirts, as the 
color can not be so thoroughly fixed in the goods, and 
therefore it will fade to a considerable extent while 
being dried and dampened. After the color is found 
to be correct, run the dipping into the machine in the 
same manner as for white shirts. Run not less than 
thirty minutes, and extract. 

In any laundry there will be a certain amount of 
goods which have to be done over, or relaundered, from 
some cause or other, and the treatment of these "wash- 
overs," as they are commonly called, is somewhat dif- 
ferent from the process employed when they were or- 
iginally washed. They usually come back to the wash- 
room more or less soiled, and require greater care in 
the washing, that is, they necessarily have to be 
washed in a strong solution of soap and water 
in order to remove the soil or dirt they may 
have on them. Consequently, more attention must 
be given to this part of the process. They should first 
have the starch and sizing rinsed out of them with luke- 
warm water, and then be washed for about thirty 
minutes in a good strong soap suds, after which they 



— 32 — 

should have a second suds, and run from fifteen to 
twenty minutes longer. Then the water should be 
brought to a temperature of not less than two hundred 
and ten degrees, after which they should be thorough- 
ly rinsed in hot water. After rinsing they should 
have a slight bleaching, and then be finished in the 
same manner as when originally washed. Care should 
be taken in the amount of bleach used on the goods 
the second time. If they are bleached as strongly as 
they were originally, it might cause them to be tender, 
and it is not necessary to do so, as there is no color in 
them to be removed, except stains, which may inci- 
dentally happen. The wash-overs of colored bosom shirts 
require Avashing in the neutral soap, and in order that 
the cuffs may match the bosoms, should they have any, 
the cuffs should be matched up and washed with the 
shirts, even though the cuffs do not require it, for, if 
the shirt that has cuffs should be washed at any time 
without the cuffs, the two may not match. After these 
goods have been washed in a lukewarm neutral soap, 
they should be rinsed and then dipped, as when origin- 
ally treated. It is customary, and convenient, to have 
a small washing machine especially for wash-over 
work. Then this class of work will not interfere with 
the regular routine of the wash-room. 



— 33 — 

CHAPTER 4. 

THE STARCHKOOM. 

Ill about every well regulated "iiew-work" lanndry, 
the wash-room is in the basement; this seems to be 
the most natural and convenient place for it, and as 
the goods are generally under cover, there is very little 
trouble from dirt falling on them. It is customary 
to have the starchroom and the ironing-room on the 
top floor, for the reason that the goods while there are 
generally exposed, and dirt and dust is likely to fall 
from the ceiling, particularly if there is an occupied 
room above them. There is never trouble from this 
source where these rooms have no others above them. 
Moreover, a better light is to be had in the upj^er story 
of a building, and good light is necessary to good 
work. 

The starchroom is preferably supplied wath a cement 
floor, which should be graded to an open sewer connec- 
tion. This floor may be so constructed that it will be 
very durable, and absolutely water tight. It is in- 
judicious to try to conduct a starchroom in an upper 
story without having some sort of a water-tight floor. 
In fact, any form of metal floor will soon rust out, 
and cause leaking, and any kind of wood soon rots away. 
Therefore cement would appear to be the most prac- 
ticable, and although it may be a little more expensive, 
the first cost is a minor consideration when everything 
else is taken into account. 

A cement floor may be constructed as follows : Re- 
move the ordinarv floor and insert a false floor between 



— 34 — 

the joists, about four inches below the top of the joists. 
luto the sj^ace above the false floor pack a certain 
amount of good. Portland cement and gravel. After 
this has hardened, finish the top in the ordinary way, 
having an average thickness, in every part, of about 
five inches. After this floor has hardened it will be 
very durable and serviceable. It would be necessary 
to have a templet for the bolts to secure each machine 
in its position so that when the machines are in posi- 
tion it will not be necessary to disturb the cement. 

The following formula for a cement floor is that 
used by the author: The total depth of gravel and 
cement should be about Sve inches. The first four 
inches should be made up of coarse gravel and Port- 
land cement, in the proportion of two to one mixed 
in a trough of water. After being placed in position, 
it should be levelled off and pounded down with a 
heavy maul or a tool such as pavers use. On top of this 
a coat of cement is laid, made up of gravel which has 
been sifted through a sieve having a mesh of one-eighth 
of an inch. This gravel is mixed with Portland cement 
in the proportion of two to one. It is also mixed in 
a trough with water, and spread over the gravel and 
cement bottom immediately after it is wet up. 

The method of putting down cement floor is in 
squares, or blocks. The cement is outlined by a straight 
edge set edgeways, and the cement is filled in flush 
to the straight edge, and then stroked off level with 
the top. After it has set, the straight edge is removed, 
and a fresh piece of cement put in. It is necessary 
to have a good foundation for a cement floor. If it 
is made on the ground floor, the cement bottom should 
be made on the dirt. If made on an upper floor the 



— 35 — 

floor should be shored up underneath with posts to pre- 
vent any spring in the floor, as in the case of the floor 
springing the cement would heconie cracked and would 
leak. In buildings where an ordinary floor has been 
laid, it will be necessary to remove the old floor and 
make a false floor about three inches below the top 
edge of the joists. This is done by nailing cleats se- 
curely to the side of the joists and filling in between 
with short boards well fitted together. On this base 
floor the gravel and cement is placed and the cement 
floor built up in the same manner as already described. 
The cement floor will finish higher than the original 
floor, which is necessary in order to cover the joists 
and make a secure job. 

The shafting and power transmission devices for 
the starchroom machinery may be placed overhead. 
It need not be very heavy shafting as the power re- 
quired in the starchroom is very light. Modern starch- 
ing machinery requires very little power. The move- 
ment of the machines is rather slow, consequently there 
is very little dust arising from the movement of the 
belts and shafting. It is necessary to have a supply 
of cold water and steam in the starchroom, hence the 
piping for these must be put in place. 

The machinery necessary for the modernly equipped 
starchroom are, shirt starching machines, collar starch- 
ing machines, power roll wringers and band starching 
machines. 

A practical machine for starching the general run 
of new work is the Benjamin machine. This machine 
forces the starch into the shirt by pressure and not 
by friction, the pressure being sufficient to drive the 
starch through the many thicknesses in a shirt bosom, 



— 36 — 




TOP VIEW OF NEW UNIVERSAL SHIRT STARCHER. 




Fig. 7. NEW XTNIVERSAL STARCHER. 

(Empire Laundry Machinery Co.) 



— 37 — 

and especially is this recommended where heavy work 
is to be done. This machine has also rubber stripping 
rolls which remove the starch from the surface of the 
shirt, leaving it free to wipe and finish. 

A general starching machine for stock work is the 
^ew Universal, shown in Fig. 7. In this machine 
the shirt is kept in a straight position and not tangled 
into a bunch, as is sometimes the case. 

Another important machine in the starchroom is 
the collar starcher. While there may be doubt as 
to the real economy of labor in using a collar starcher 
in a custom laundry, it may be said that this machine 
is almost indispensable in any laundry doing new 
work, especially colored collars and cuffs. The old 
process of starching collars and cuffs is generally 
known as the dipj)ing process, that is, the goods are put 
into a sort of tumbler together with hot starch and 
churned around for a certain length of time. This 
process pounds the starch into them, and while it pro- 
duces stiff work at a very low cost, it will not do at 
all for new work and particularly for colored goods. 
In the first place the hot starch and the action of the 
machine is very destructive to colors and causes a 
great many wrinkles which it is almost impossible to 
remove. The shape of new collars and cuffs should 
always be considered, and where they are starched in 
a dip-wheel it is about impossible to get them true in 
regard to shape. Of course, on the better grades of 
collars and cuffs it is possible that they may be handled 
in a dip-wheel, but it is preferable that they be starched 
on some good collar starcher. The majority of the 
colored work at the present time is starched dry, that 
is to say, it is not washed at all, but simply run through 



— 38 — 

the machine and starched. Much of this goods is 
manufactured and made into collars and cuffs which 
go with either negligee or stiff-bosom shirts, and are 
of the same pattern as the collars and cuffs. T^egligee 
shirts are not starched at all excepting neck and wrist- 
bands, and the collars and cuffs must necessarily match 




Fig. 8. McKAY COIiLAR AND CUFF STARCHER, 

(Troy Laundry Machinery Co.) 

them in shade and color. This is easily accomplished 
by starching them dry on the collar starching machine. 
In many instances, manufacturers of new white 
collars and cuffs are using collar and cuff starching ma- 
chines. I believe it to be of advantage on this class 
of work, as the cost of starching new goods is much 
greater than starching old work, and therefore it is 
economy to have a collar starching machine. The 
McKay Collar and Cuff Starcher, shown in Fig. 8, 



39 — 




Fig. 8-A. No. 3. COLLAR AND CUFF STARCHER. 

(Troy Laundry Machinery Co.) 



— 40 — 

is an example of this type of macliiue. This machine 
is the invention of Mr. Joseph McKay. The principle 
on which it operates is as follows : The goods are fed 
into the machine between two endless aprons. The 
lower apron consists of a heavy canvas belt, the upper 
apron of a thinner material. The goods are carried 
between these aprons below the starch line and Avhile 
they are being passed through the starch they receive 
a rolling and rubbing motion from the top which forces 
the starch through the goods in a manner similar to 
the action of the hand. They then pass out of the 
starch and between the rollers, which remove nearly all 
the surplus starch. It is claimed for this machine 
that this action removes the wrinkles in the goods. As 
the goods are fed into the machine they are passed 
between two rolls which revolve at a slower speed than 
the speed of the apron and as the goods are being held 
between the. rolls the aprons catch hold of the goods, 
and as they are running faster than the goods the ten- 
dency is to stretch the material and to draw the wrinkles 
out. 

Another good type of Collar Starcher is the Hagen, 
shown in Fig. 9. The j^i'ii^ciple of feeding the goods 
through this machine is the same as the McKay, but 
instead of the rolling, reciprocating motion of the 
McKay, there is a system of stationary rolls covered 
with rubber, having numerous small cells or cavities 
which carry the starch. The goods pass between these 
rolls and by pressure on them the rubber yields and 
the starch in these small cells is forced through the 
goods. 

Still another machine is the Weldon, sho^vn in Fig. 
10. This machine does away entirely with the fibre 



— 41 — 




Fie. 9. THE HAGEN COLIiAR AND CUFF STARCHER. 

(A. T. Hagen Co.) 



— 42 




Fig-. 10. "WEIiDON STARCHER. 

(Love Mfg. Co.) 

aprons. It has a metal carrying arrangement which 
carries the goods between the rolls of metallic rollers. 
The carrying device is arranged and adapted to a link- 
chain mechanism which rnns on sprockets. This gives 
a positive motion and rednces the liability to get out 
of order. The Bishop, the Ewing, the Enreka and the 
Economic are other well-known starchers and are shown 



— 43 




Fig. 11. THE BISHOP COLIiAR AND CUFF STARCHER. 

(G. H. Bishop.) 




Fig. 12. THE E-WING COLLAR AND CtrFP STARCHER. 

(The Ewing Machine Co.) 



— 44 




Fig. 13. THE EUREKA COLLAR AND CUFF STARCHER. 

(F. W. Mateer & Co.) 

in Figs. 11, 12, 13 and 14. They all employ the same 
principle of putting the starch into the goods, viz., by 
passing the goods between rollers while submerged in the 
starch. 

Another machine which is very useful for the starch- 
room doing new work is a band starching machine. 
Laundrymen handling this class of goods usually have 



— 45 — 




Fig. 14. THE ECONOMIC COLiAR AND CUFF STARCHER. 

(The Economic Mfg. Co.) 

many shirts or shirt waists having attached colhirs and 
cuffs and for this kind of work a hand starcher is very 
useful. The machine shown in Fig. 15 is the invention 
of Mr. C. H. Brace, of Pittsburg, and is usually known 
as the Brace Band Starcher. The principle of this 
machine is that the starch is carried in rolls or rubber 
cells and pressed into the goods by pressure from aux- 
iliary rolls. The starch is carried from the tank to 
the rubber roll which has these cells, by a carrier roll 
which revolves in the starch and against the surface 
of the rubber roll. The bands, cuffs or collars are passed 
between the rubber roll and the pressure roll and are 



— 46 — 




Fig. 15. "BRACE" •WRISTBAND STARCHER. 

(American Laundry Machinery Co.) 



— 47 




Fie. 16. HAGEN ■WRISTBAND STAKCHER. 

(A. T. Hagen Co.) 

thus starched without causing any wrinkles in the goods. 
After this they may be run through the wiping device 
which is attached to this machine. The Hagen machine, 
shown in Fig. 16 has no wiper. 



— 48 — 

The power roll wringer is a very important ad- 
junct to a well equipj)ed starcbroom. This wringer 
should be attached to a stationary tub having water 
and steam connections. This tub is usually for the 
purpose of washing the cloths used in wiping the shirts 
when finishing. The cloths can be thoroughly washed 
and rinsed in this tub, and wrung out with the wringer, 
when they are again ready for use. 

Another important matter which will receive the 
consideration of every laundryman, who desires to be 
up to date in modern laundry methods, is the manner 
of starch cooking. Recently there have been invented 
heat-retaining starch-cookers which are commended 
highly. In the first 2:»lace they have the correct theory 
of starch cooking, besides being so constructed that they 
retain the heat for a long time in the starch after it 
is cooked, making it possible to cook starch at night, 
and to use it the next day. 

An illustration of the Bishop Cooker is . shown in 
Fig. 17. These cookers have a separator which removes 
all the water from the steam before it enters the cooker, 
thus leaving the steam in a dry condition, and making 
it impossible for any moisture to get into the solution 
after it has reached the boiling point. The author has 
continually boiled starch in one of these cookers for 
six hours without increasing the quantity in any degree. 

To those who desire a cheaper arrangement for 
cooking, the author recommends the use of a wooden 
tank arranged at a suitable height from the floor to 
allow the starch to run out through the large faucet 
into a tub or pail. Into this tank should be introduced 
steam pipes and the outlet should be at the bottom. 
Connect the steam into a cross having four openings, 



49 




Fig-. 17. BISHOP COOKER. 

(G, H. Bishop.) 

and into these openings connect curved j)ipes, each pipe 
curving in the same direction and opening in the same 
direction, similar to a revolving lawn sprinkler. As the 
the steam is discharged from these pipes it causes the 
starch solution to revolve verj rapidly and in this way 
thoroughly mixes the Avhole mass. Just outside thig 
tank place a water-trap to prevent any water getting 
into the starch. This trap may be constructed as 
follows : Take a two-inch pipe about eighteen inches 
long and put a cap on each end ; insert the inlet steam 



— 50 — 

pipe through the side of this two-inch pipe at about 
one-third the distance from the bottom. From the top 
of this two-inch pipe connect the steam outlet, and into 
the starch-cooker at the lower end of the pipe have 
an outlet, controlled by a valve to allow the escape of 
the condensed water. 

As the steam enters this large two-inch pipe the 
water gravitates to the bottom end and the steam rises 
to the upper end, thus completely separating any water 
there may be in the steam, preventing it from coming 
into the starch and weakening the starch solution. 
This form of starch-cooker will cook the starch fully 
as well as the more expensive kind but it has not the 
heat retaining qualities. However, one can cook quite 
nicely with this arrangement and he need not be con- 
cerned as to the results. 

All machinery in the starchroom should be arranged 
close together in one portion of the room, leaving the 
balance of the space in the room free for finishing the 
work and conducting the general business of the room. 
There should be erected, near the machines, stationary 
tables having board projections for the purpose of finish- 
ing and wiping the goods. All tables in the starch- 
room should be covered with zinc. It afi^ords a very 
clean surface, is easily kept clean and will cause no 
stains as is the case many times where wet goods are 
placed directly in contact with wooden surfaces. The 
boards on which the shirt is rubbed and wiped off are 
arranged to project clear of the table about twenty- 
eight inches. They should be about twelve inches wide 
and rounded on the projecting end. It is not feasible 
to cover this board with zinc as the zinc will cause the 
starch to come out of the goods when the goods are 



— 51 — 

removed from the boards. It forms a partial vacuum 
under the surface of the goods and when the goods are 
lifted up from the board the starch remains on the 
zinc surface, causing the shirts to be soft when finished. 
There also should be arranged above this table, 
hooks on which to hang short bars containing twelve 
small brass hooks and on these bars the shirts should 
be hung as soon as they are finished. This bar is 
taken with the shirts and hung in the dry room, thus 
avoiding any danger of getting the shirts soiled or 
starchy, as is the case where they are starched, finished 
and then laid on the table before hanging in the dry 
room. It is not a wise plan ever to hang white shirts 
by the yoke, as it invariably causes a stain in the yoke 
from the wood or wire from which they are hung, or 
else they will be soiled from handling in removing the 
hanger from the shirt. The yoke of the shirt is the 
part which shows very prominently when the shirt is 
ironed, and therefore the yokes should be very pure 
and clean when the shirts are finished. 

If anyone will practice a while with the ordinary 
stick which shirts are hung on, they will find that they 
can hang the shirts by the skirt as conveniently as they 
can by the yoke. After the shirt is finished and ready 
to hang, lay it across the starch-board, bosom up. 
Take the stick in the right hand, place one end under 
the right side of the shirt, having the projecting end 
of the stick to the right, turn the stick under the skirt 
to the left side of the shirt and with the left hand fold 
the left side of the shirt over the end of the stick, al- 
ways having the stick far enough up on the shirt so 
that when it is folded on the stick it will remain in 
place. This forms a very secure way of hanging shirts 
and it prevents any possibility of soiling the yokes. 



— 52 — 

With colored work this plan of hanging is not re- 
quired. The only objection to hanging the shirts by 
the skirt is they will not dry as quickly as when hung 
by the yoke, but this is not a consideration when one 
wishes to be assured of perfect results after the goods 
are ironed. If the dry room is so arranged that these 
bars, carrying a dozen shirts, may be transferred from 
the starch table directly to the dry room, it avoids a 
great amount of handling, because when the shirts are 
starched and hung on these bars they are practically 
hung in the dry room. 

To ensure perfect results in starching great care 
must be given to the proper preparation of the starch, 
the quality of the article, and the manner in which it 
is cooked. The author advises for the best results, in 
new work, to use one-half wheat and one-half corn, in 
the proportion of one and one-half pounds of starch to 
a gallon of water. He would recommend the use of 
fairly thin cooking starch, but not too thin. Starch 
must have a certain amount of body in order that it 
may renuiin in the fabric. If it is too thin, especially 
on very light work, the starch seems to escape from 
the goods, and leave them in a soft condition. 

The proper method of cooking starch is as follows: 
Draw into the cooker as many gallons of water as the 
amount of starch solution requires. From this quan- 
tity of measured water draw off into a tub about one- 
third of the quantity. Into this water add the required 
number of pounds of starch, and thorouglily dissolve 
it before putting it into the cooker. Heat the Avater 
in the cooker to the boiling point, and then stir this 
dissolved starch solution into the boiling Avater in the 
cooker, after which boil the solution as hard as it is 
practicable, for fully thirty minutes. 



— 53 — 

For example, for a tub of starch of twenty gallons 
have twenty gallons of water in the cooker. Draw out 
seven gallons ; to this seven gallons add twenty-five 
pounds of starch, half wheat and half corn ; heat the 
"water to boiling point; pour dissolved solution into 
cooker and cook thirty minutes. If the starch solution 
is for white work, add four ounces of acetic acid and 
a small amount of aniline blue. The starch need not 
be too blue, but just enough to remove the yellow cast 
in the starch. If the goods are just blue enough and 
if there is acid present in the starch, the blue will re- 
main clear in the goods ; but should the starch be blued 
too heavily, it will show .blue spots wherever there is 
any surplus starch left on the goods, and it is also liable 
to produce a mottled appearance. 

For the starching of colored w^ork it is advisable to 
use very little acid, as acetic acid in many cases fades 
print goods. In this solution it is recommended to 
add about six ounces of Japan wax to prevent the goods 
sticking to the iron when they are being finished. It 
is possible to iron goods without any wax in the starch, 
but the ironing is not so easy. The starch sticks to the 
rolls, and is liable to cause the goods to "rumple up" 
unless there is wax present. Especially is this true 
in collars and cuft's. 

In many instances it is possible and practical 
to use less expensive solutions of starch, and less wheat 
or less corn may be used, but the proportions already 
given are about the usual ones. To what extent this 
may be carried may easily be ascertained by any laun- 
dryman. The formula laid down is one that will en- 
sure absolute certainty. 'No one formula can be offered 
as regards the quality of the work. Each amount may 



— 54 — 

be cheapened, and to what extent, the laundryman 
must determine. It is the same with starch as with 
everything else ; you can not get something for nothing, 
and if you want the highest results you have to pay 
for them. It is the author's policy with reference to 
supplies to ahvays use about the best that is procur- 
able. 

The methods of starching will now be taken up, 
and the starching of new white shirts will be considered 
first. After the goods are w^ashed and extracted they 
should be placed in clean zinc-lined trucks, covered with 
a cloth, and sent to the starchroom. They are then 
taken from this box, and folded ready for starching. 
They should be folded through the center of the bosom, 
having the w^ristbands laid on the side of the bosom. 
They may be arranged in this way in several thicknesses, 
thus occupying very little space on the table, and then 
transferred to the starching machine in large bunches. 
The operator removes the shirt as it lies in this bunch, 
and places it in the machine. If it be a "New Uni- 
versal" machine or a "Benjamin" it is placed in the 
machine just as it is folded. The machine is then 
closed, and the starch worked into the shirt. If it is 
of the "Bishop" type, then the shirt has to be bunched 
in the same manner as though it were to be dipped 
in a pail of water, placed in the machine, and the ma- 
chine closed, and by an automatic arrangement it is 
starched, the starch being forced into the goods. 

In ordinary medium-heavy work a starching ma- 
chine will starch at the rate of one hundred and fifty 
shirts an hour. For heavy work more time is required, 
and the time must be determined by the grade of the 
work. When the shirt is well starched, remove it 



— 65 — 

from the machinp, open it up, and if the starch has 
thoroughly worked through the bosom into the inside 
that is all that can be expected^ and it is tnen ready to 
be finished and wiped. Some machines have stripping 
devices which remove the surplus starch, but in the 
general type of machine the surplus starch must be re- 
moved by hand. 

After the shirt comes from the machine, it should 
be thrown on a clean table, and taken from there by the 
one who is to finish it. It should then be drawn on the 
board, neckband first. The operator should thoroughly 
rub the bosom with the palm of his hand, remove all 
wrinkles, and press the plies of the bosom thoroughly 
together. A shirt bosom, when it is well rubbed down, 
will be somewhat transparent, enough so that the wood 
in the board can be seen through the bosom. If the 
bosom has been rubbed first, the wristband should be 
brought up, and laid on the bosom, and also rubbed. 
After thoroughly rubbing out all wrinkles it should be 
carefully wiped with a clean piece of cheesecloth, or 
a sponge, cheesecloth being preferable for shirts. 

All the surplus starch must be wiped from the 
bosom, or any other part of the shirt. First wipe the 
wristbands, then the bosom, then the yokes, then the 
inside of the yokes. After this has been done remove 
the shirt carefully from the board, being careful to 
see that the plies remain stuck together. I^ext hang 
the shirt on the stick, as already described, and then 
hang it in the dry room. Shirts starched in this man- 
ner are half ironed. They will come out of the dry 
room smooth and firm, without any wrinkles. Great 
care must be given to this ])art of the work, as it is 
the turning point of good work in the shirt department. 



— 56 — 

Wiping cloths should not be used for too long a 
time, as they soon become starchy and thus lose their 
efficiency. A large number should always be at hand, 
and when they become starchy they should be washed 
immediately. They are then ready for use again. If 
there is any starch left on any part of the shirt it will 
show when ironed, and the most unsightly thing that can 
appear on a shirt is surplus starch. 

If shirts are to be ironed by hand, it is possible to 
leave wrinkles in the bosom when they are being ironed, 
as hand-iron work is damped far more than machine- 
ironed work. If, however, shirts that are to be ironed 
by machine have any wrinkles in them, the wrinkles will 
invariably be there when the ironing is finished. So it 
is of the highest importance to have absolute perfection 
in the starching of shirts which are to be ironed by 
machines, and it is an advisable feature in shirts to 
be ironed by any process. 

Open-front shirts are finished the same as open 
backs, except that it is necessary to raise the upper lap 
of the shirt, and thoroughly wipe the under lap where 
the upper lap covers it. The two halves of the bosom 
should then be pressed together again, and the shirt 
hung in the dry room in this condition. Some laun- 
drymen consider it of such importance to have the 
bosoms remain stuck together as to go to the trouble 
of fastening the neckbands of open-front shirts, where 
they join, with a clasp, in order to insure the open 
fronts remaining in their proper position when drying. 
The author scarcely considers that this is required, but 
it is well, if possible, to have open fronts remain stuck 
together until they are dried. It causes them to re- 
tain their shape better, and it makes it easier, if they 



— 57 — 

are ironed by machines, to produce the proper shape 
in the bosom when it is finished. Great care must 
also be exercised in the wiping of the inside yokes. This 
part of the shirt shows when it is fokled, and therefore 
it should receive its proper attention when being 
starched. 

The method of starching colored shirts is the same 
as wdiite shirts, excepting that there should be but very 
little acid used in the starch, and the goods may be hung 
by the yoke. There should always be a sufficient 
amount of starch in the machine to ensure perfect work, 
for, if the starch gets too low the goods wall not be well 
starched. The cloths used for wiping shirts are usu- 
ally made of cheesecloth, each piece of which should 
contain about one yard and a half, and there should 
be a sufficient number of them in order that they may 
be washed frequently, and that the wipers may have a 
plentiful supply. One cloth should not be used to wipe 
more than a dozen shirts before it is washed. 

For the ordinary "washing it is only required to be 
washed in the stationary tank, in warm water, but they 
should be thoroughly cleansed once a week by washing 
them and bleaching them in the regular washing ma- 
chine, and they should receive this process before 
first using them, in order to get them in a condition to 
become a good absorbent. Some laundrymen use 
sponges, but the author's experience leads him to believe 
that cloths are better for shirt work. Sponges will 
answer, however, for collars and cuffs that require a 
very light wiping. 

In starching white collars and cuffs, the use of a 
collar starcher is recommended, although they can be 
starched successfully in a dip wheel. But the author 



— 58 — 

is inclined to believe that the shape of the collar is 
better maintained when starched in the machine. The 
dip wheel seems to shrink them somewhat and destroy 
the outline of the pattern. 

The chief quality wanted for new work is a thick 
finish. That is, the goods should feel heavy and the 
edges should have a thick appearance and it is never 
advisable for new work to have the appearance of hav- 
ing been ironed too hard. It is the author's opinion 
that collars starched on a good machine are less liable 
to have a thin edge. They have to be finished with 
great care or else they will be flattened and the starch 
ooze out, causing them to have that thin appearance 
which is common in old work. It is quite difficult to 
explain this quality, but if a new collar of a certain 
brand is compared with an old collar of the same brand 
after it has been relaundered in the custom laundry, 
the difference and quality referred to will be very ap- 
parent. This quality is obtained almost entirely in 
the starching. 

The goods come from the wash-room in the same 
condition as do the shirts. They then should be 
straightened out and piled in bunches in dozens. The 
oj)erator feeds them into the machine as rapidly as the 
machine can receive them. On the opposite end another 
operator receives the goods from the machine and lays 
them in dozens. From there they are taken to the 
finishing table, all the wrinkles taken out and wiped 
very carefully and hung on bars ready for the dry 
room. The starch for white collars and cuffs may be 
the same as for white shirts, only in the case the goods 
are very light the starch should be made somewhat 
heavier. Much care must be givesi to the finishing 



— 59 — 

and wiping. The collar or cuff must be pulled into 
shape, corners and curves put in their proper position 
and the edges made straight. In fact the original 
cut of the collar must be preserved, and special care 
must be given to this matter throughout. 

Absolute perfection in the laundering of white work 
must be attained in order to compete with others, and 
to do this the starching must be absolutely correct. 
E"otliing should be slighted in the process of starching 
collars and cuffs. A little imperfection might pass 
on a shirt, while it will not do at all on collars. The 
trade demands perfection, and they are very nearly 
getting it; and anyone who expects to be able to com- 
pete in this class of work must recognize this fact. 
Everything about the process of starching collars and 
cuffs must be correct. The starch must be absolutely 
right; the machine must be in perfect condition, and 
everything must be immaculately clean ; the operators 
themselves should be clean ; the tables and cloths and 
racks and everything about the room must be absolutely 
clean. 

The hanging of collars and cuffs is another im- 
portant matter and should receive careful attention. 
If they are hung over an ordinary bar, they are liable 
to be soft and stain where they come in contact with 
the bar. If they are hung by the button hole, they 
are more or less drawn out of shape and are liable to 
be stained with verdigris where they come in contact 
with the hook. 

The most practical manner in which to hang a collar 
is over a bar, providing the bar is made to overcome 
the objections stated. This bar should be about an 
inch and a half wide and an inch thick and the dry 



— 60 — 

room racks fitted to receive it. The upper edge of 
this bar should be grooved in the center allowing two 
ridges at the outer edge of the bar so that when the 
collar is hung over the bar it will have only two bearing 
points. The sides of the bar should be tapered so that 
as the collar hangs down it will not come in contact 
with the bar. This form will allow the collar to be 
hung in the center and will preserve its shape. It will 
not come in contact with any surface except where it 
rests on the edges of the bar, and this will prevent it 
from becoming soft, as is the case w^here the entire 
surface touches the bar ; therefore it is a very simple 
and practical manner of hanging. 

The whole bar should be covered with a cloth to 
preyent any stains from the wood. The cloths should 
be renewed frequently, as they become charred and torn 
by continual use and if they are not removed frequently 
they will cause trouble by staining the goods. It is 
a simple matter to cover them. All that is required 
is a straight piece of bleached muslin which should 
be starched and wasted over the bar. These bars should 
have a rack i)laced to receive them at or near the starch 
finishing table, and as the goods are starched they should 
be hung on the bar immediately. When the bar is 
full it should be placed in the dry room in a manner 
similar to the method of hanging shirts. During the 
entire process of starching, the collars and cuffs should 
be kept in their original dozens and dried in the same 
manner, and when they are taken from the dry room 
they should be tied again the same as when received 
for starching. 

The method of starching colored collars and cuffs 
is very different to that of white ones. In the first 



— 61 — 

place it does not require nearly such an amount of 
mechanical action to saturate the goods with starch. 
The material used is generally of a coarser and looser 
nature, and absorbs starch more readily. It requires 
less attention to wiping and in every way is an easier 
article to handle than white work. It is usually 
brought to the starchroom directly from the manu- 
facturer and is starclicd without being washed. Tlie 
goods are fed into the machine and handled similarly 
to white work, but inasmuch as it is not washed the 
shade remains the same as it was when manufactured. 
It is much easier to finish them, as there are very few 
wrinkles, and very little attention need be paid to shap- 
ing in finishing. 

Unless exclusive machines can be used for this class 
of work any of the standard makes of machines will 
answer the purpose. Of course, it is more difficult to 
handle colored work that has been washed and in that 
case the same attention to details must be given as in 
white work, although the mechanical action of starch- 
ing is no greater and the same type of machine that will 
starch dry laundered work will also starch colored work 
that has to be washed. 

Starch used for colored collars and cuffs should be 
a trifle heavier than that used for starching shirts and 
should have no acid or bluing in it. Care must be used 
not to have the starch too hot for colored work. Very 
hot starch causes many colors to fade. The hanging 
of colored work is done in the same manner as with 
white work, and what has been said in regard to keep- 
ing bundles of white work together should be applied 
to colored work. It is best to sort the work immedi- 
ately after it is finished, and it requires but little atten- 



tion to keep the original iimnber of pieces in the 
bundles throughont the whole laundry process. 

Another matter in connection with the laundering 
industry which the author has neglected to mention, 
and which in many laundries it will be found neces- 
sary to understand, is the laundering of neckbands. 
Many manufacturers make their shirts with a laundered 
neckband but launder no other part of the shirt. Es- 
pecially is this true in colored negligee work or in jjutf 
or silk-bosom soft shirts. If the neckbands are white, 
they should be washed in the same manner as white 
shirts and in fact they may be washed with a load of 
white shirts provided the neckbands are placed in a 
net. After being washed they can be run through 
the collar starcher and treated the same as white collars 
and cuffs. If they are colored bands then they should 
be run directly through the collar and cuff starcher 
without washing, in the same way as with colored collars 
and cuffs. 

The starch in any machine, whether it be for shirts 
or collars and cuffs, should never be allowed to get be- 
low the temperature of 160 degrees and in order to 
maintain this temperature it is necessary to have the 
starch heated by steam. Many makes of starching ma- 
chines have a steam jacket and the starch is kept hot 
by radiation, while in other makes the steam comes 
directly into the starch, and in this case the water- 
traps should be put on the steam pipes to separate the 
water from the steam as has been described in the case 
of the starch-cooker. If the water is allowed to get 
into the machine from condensed steam it will reduce 
the consistency of the starch and will cause the shirts 
to be soft, and this is nuiuy times the cause of soft work. 



— 63 — 

It takes so very little water to destroy the efficiency 
of starch, and, quite frequently, starch is thus destroyed 
without the operator noticing that there is any differ- 
ence in its consistency. The results will show only 
when the goods are ironed. Tlierefore it is necessary 
to use great care in regard to this matter. 



— 64 — 



CHAPTER 5. 

THE DRY ROOM. 



There are a great many theories advanced in re- 
gard to drying out the moisture that is contained in 
fibre, and while they may sound very well in theory, 
I find they do not amount to much in practice. The 
matter of circulation and condensation have received 
exhaustive experimenting, both in lumber drying and 
in laundry drying. Some make great claims for the 
plan of extracting the liot moist air from the dry room, 
condensing the moisture in it, and return the same 
air again "in a dried state," into the dry room. 

This impresses the average laundryman as an ex- 
cellent idea. But when put to practice, there is noth- 
ing in this plan. It is true that the air becomes 
saturated with moisture, and should the dry room have 
no ventilation whatever, it would be only a short time 
before the goods would not dry at all. Consequently, 
this moist air must be gotten rid of, and it is just as 
well to let it escape into the open air by some good form 
of ventilation. This plan is better than to try to con- 
dense the moisture in this air, and to return the dry 
air to the dry room. 

The only way to condense moisture in the atmos- 
phere, is by reducing the temperature to what is known 
as the "dew point." When this is done the water falls 
from the air precisely in the same manner as the dew 
is discharged from the atmosphere. As the "dew 
point" is usually at a lower temperature than the out- 
side air surrounding the dry room, the air which passes 



— 65 — 

tliroiigli the condenser conies out colder than the out- 
side air. Should this cold air be discharged again into 
the dry room it would retard the drying process just 
in projiortion to the difference in temperature between 
the air condensed, and the air surrounding the dry room, 
so it can be seen that it is much better to let the moist 
air escape and replace it with fresh air from the out- 
side. Of course, it is understood that the temperature 
of the air must be raised before any amount of drying 
can be accomplished, and the higher the temperature 
of the air, when it enters the dry room, the less nmnber 
of heat units are required. 

Therefore, everything being considered, the author 
believes that the condensing plan is a detriment. He 
does believe, however, that it is a good plan to cause 
an enforced circulation. The drying process is caused 
by the air being exjianded by heat, absorbing the mois- 
ture from the fibre by what is known as capillary at- 
traction. The strata of air directly in contact with the 
fibre first receives the moisture and when this is loaded, 
it gives off its moisture to the next particle of air to it, 
and so the process continues until the air takes up all 
the moisture. If it can be so arranged that when the 
i:)articles of air next to the fibre are loaded with mois- 
ture, they are moved, and fresh, dry jDarticles take their 
places, it can be readily understood that the drying will 
be accomplished much more speedily. 

This theory the author has fully demonstrated, and 
the adoption of the following jilan is advised : At the 
top of the dry room have an inverted funnel-shaped 
hood, and if the dry room is large, have several of these 
hoods at different points in the ceiling of the dry room. 
To these hoods connect galvanized iron pipe about four 



— 66 — 

inches in diameter, and have the pipes from each hood 
joined to one larger j)ipe. Have this larger pipe con- 
nected to the inlet of an ordinary fan blower ; from the 
outlet of this blower extend the same sized pipes to 
the bottom of the dry room, and connect it by several 
branches into the base of the dry room, under the steam 
coil. By operating this fan a current of air through 
the dry room is obtained. 

In the matter of ventilation it may be said that any 
plan whereby a certain portion of the air may escape 
and be replaced by fresh air, is practicable. The 
theory that moist air falls to the bottom, and that the 
ventilation should be at the bottom, the author believes 
to be incorrect. He considers the best way to ventilate 
a dry room is to allow the cold air to come in at the 
bottom, and as it is heated and expanded, allow it to 
escape at the top, in the natural order of things. The 
ventilator pipes should be regulated with a damper or 
otherwise too much heat will be lost. The dry room 
is continually being opened and closed, and in that way 
much change of air is accomplished. Hence the ven- 
tilation is not of so much importance as it would be 
in case the dry room were a ceiled air-tight compart- 
ment. Therefore the most practical plan is a small 
provision for ventilation, as already described, together 
with the plan of circulation. 

It is not necessary to run the blower at a very high 
rate of sj^eed, but at just sufficient speed to produce 
a gentle circulation of the air in the dry room. After 
all has been said, the most essential thing about a dry 
room is heat. A dry room must be hot, and the hotter 
the better. A dry room, to produce the highest result, 
should have not less than one square foot of heating 



— 57 — 



6'.p, '■ •■ 



i^ ■ 



I'l 

t il I h1HiillilLIMI'B'>_ ; 



I'll I ' 



'I III 



AL I I /J 1. 1, I ! 



l/l; /i1' 



t/ 



»lff /l*llf 




Fig. 18. STANDARD DKY ROOM. 

(The F. M. Watkins Co.) 



-68 




%^' 



Hi >, 

< s 

W -J 






>; it 



.i<<ij. 



'♦^^T*- 




:5 E 

.• < 



— 69 — 

surface to every seventy-live cubic feet in the drv room. 
With this amount of heating surface in a dry room it 
will not fail to give good results. Of course, ventila- 
tion is necessary, to a certain extent, and circulation 
is a good thing, but one can get along without the 
latter, and with very little of the former. 

The standard type of dry- room is illustrated in 
Fig. 18 and is made as follows: The floor is usually 
covered with galvanized iron^ made water tight, and 
graded to a sewer connection, so that the room may be 
easily washed out when it becomes dusty. Covering 
nearly all of the surface of the floor is a coil of steam 
j^ipe. This coil is two or three tiers thick. At one 
end there is an elevated header, into which the 
ends of all the pipes of the upper tier are con- 
nected. The middle tier, if any, is connected to the 
pipes of the upper tier by return bends ; that tier is 
again connected to the lower tier in the same manner, 
and the ends of the lower tier of pipe are connected 
into the header. Each tier of pipe is graded in such 
a way that the water will gravitate out of the coils. 

The usual casing of a dry room is of wood, lined 
with tin, and the sj^ace over the coil is filled with racks. 
The forward ends of the racks form the front side of 
the dry room. The racks are hung on runways, usu- 
ally made of iron pipe, and are made to move easily 
by being supported on rollers. These racks are drawn ; 
out to their full extent, and the goods hung on them, 
and then run back into the dry room. There are sev- 
eral kinds of metallic dry rooms, which from a point 
of durability and convenience have much to recommend 
them. 

Standard forms of Metal Drv Room are shown in 



(0 — 




o 
o 

o u 
hi b 

H -a 
O c 

H 3 

».- 

w g 

H 



— 71 — 







o 



Figs. 19 and 20. An automatic conveyer dry room is 
shown in Fig. 21. The material employed is usually 
galvanized iron. jSTo matter what may be claimed for 
a dry room, the first and chief thing that should be con- 
sidered by the purchaser is the question of the amount 
of heat furnished. 

It is of the highest importance, that when the goods 
are dry they should be removed from the heat, and 
especially is this true of wdiite work. If the latter 
class of goods hangs a short while in the dry room 
after it is dry, the heat will cause the goods to lose 
their blue tint, and they will turn yellow. It is also 
essential to have abundant drying capacity, and that 
the goods should be dried quickly, in order to get the 
best results from the starching. If goods are too long- 
in drying, it invariably effects the stiffness. j\Iueh 
of what the author calls "punky" work, that is, work 
which resembles in feeling a piece of blotting paper 
when finished, is caused by goods being too long in 
the dry room. 



73 



CHAPTER 0. 

TilE DAMPENING KOOM. 



The damiDeiiiiig room should l)e in, or near, the same 
room as that containing the dry room in order that 
the goods may not have to he transferred too far away 
when they are in a dry and bnlky state. The dampen- 
ing room shonkl he arranged with commodions racks 
in which to pile the shirts after they come from the 
dry room. The goods should be protected from dust 
by having the racks covered on top with boards, and 
the sides protected with a muslin curtain arranged to 
be drawn back when shirts are being put in. The 
goods as they are taken from the dry room should be 
assorted into the lots in which they are to go and counted 
and checked in order to ascertain when the lot is 
complete. 

All tables and racks in the dampening room should 
be kept absolutely clean .and free from dust. A shirt 
occupies more space in a rough dried condition than 
in any other and consequently it is more liable to be- 
come soiled for the reason that it presents a greater 
surface to catch the dirt. Any dust that may accumu- 
late would hardly be noticed until the goods are damp- 
ened and ironed and then it shows up very conspicuous- 
ly. Care also should be taken not to allow goods to 
fall on the floor. Much soiled work is due to careless- 
ness in this respect. Many times a shirt is dropped 
on the floor, picked up and put into the racks without 
being properly examined and, wdien the shirt is ironed, 
it is discovered that it is soiled and one is at a loss to 
account for the cause. 



— 74 — 




Fig 22. SHIRT DAMPENER. 

(Troy Laundry Machinery Co.) 



A convenient arrangement of racks in the dampen- 
ing room is as follows : The floor of the rack should 
be raised from the main floor about six inches and 
should be made of slats to allow the dust to fall 
through. The space beneath will permit of easily 
cleaning the bottom of racks. Partitions for the racks 
should also be made of slats ]3laced about eighteen 
inches apart. The racks should be about three feet 
wide and seven or eight feet high, boarded up the sides 
with matched boards for about three feet. The space 
on top should be covered Avith matched boards and the 
sides protected by curtains. There should be long 
tables in the dampening room on which to place the 
shirts as they come ficm the dry room. The sticks 
are removed from the shirts as they are laid on the 
tables and the shirts assorted from these tables and 
placed in the racks. 

The only machine required in the dampening room 
is the dampening machine, and where large quanti- 
ties of collars, cuffs and shirts are to be dampened, 
it is wise to have a machine for each class of goods, 
because the degree of dampness suitable for a collar 
will not do for a shirt, and it is quite difficult to 
adjust a machine, which has been already adjusted 
for shirts, to dampen collars properly and then read- 
just it to properly dampen shirts. A machine, when it 
is once adjusted for dampening, should not be changed 
as frequent changes will affect the uniformity of the 
work. 

It is essential for the best results, either in collars 
or shirts, that the dampening be done uniformly, and 
to get uniform dampness is a source of great anxiety 
to the average laundryman. Of course, the ideal damp- 



— 76 




Tig. as. COLiIiAR AND CXTFF DAMPKNEK. 

(Adams Laundry Machinery Co.) 



— 77 — 

ening is with sheets, but in laundries doing a large 
amount of work, this method is impracticable on account 
of its being too slow. A machine must therefore be 
employed which will have the desired capacity. 

The universal type of dampening machine is one 
which dampens goods on the blotter principle. The 
goods are passed between two cloth-covered rolls, the 
cloth on the rolls being saturated with water. The 
water is carried to the covered rolls by means of a 
metal roll revolving in a trough of water, which tranfers 
the water from the trough to the cloth-covered rolls. 
The machines are made with an adjustment which 
will allow any amount of pressure required between the 
metal roll and the cloth roll, and the greater the 
pressure the less is the amount of water. The two 
cloth-covered rolls in a well-adjusted machine do not 
touch each other. As the goods pass between the rolls 
they press on the goods and force the moisture into 
the fibre. Should they run in contact with each other 
they would form a pool of water between them and as 
the goods are fed through the machine the first which 
came in contact with the rolls receive the greatest 
amount of water, and this would cause uneven damjoness. 

The cloth-covered rolls of the dampening machine 
should not revolve to exceed twenty-four revolutions, 
or less than twenty revolutions per minute. If the rolls 
revolve too rapidly, too great an amount of water will be 
transmitted, and if they revolve too slowly, too little 
an amount of water will be transmitted. It is there- 
fore very essential that the speed of a dampening ma- 
chine should not vary from between the limits stated. 

It has been usual to have the dampening-room on 
the same floor as the starchroom, as it is essential to 



— 78 — 




Fig. 34. SHIRT SKIRT DAMPENER. 

(S. H. Sinclair Co.) 



— 79 — 

have the dampening machine operated on a water-tight 
floor with the proper arrangements for drainage, be- 
cause there is certain to be more or less water 
dripping from the dampening machine, and many times 
the troughs overflow. Unless this arrangement is made 
much damage by water mav ensue. 

It is very important to have the dampening ma- 
chine always in perfect order. The style of machine 
sho^vni in Fig. 22 requires very little dressing, as the 
dampening-rolls are covered with rubber, and thus af- 
ford a cushioned surface. The dampening machine 
on which cloth in the j)lace of rubber on the rolls is 
used acts in the same manner as the one using rubber, 
but it requires somewhat more attention in the dressing. 
The author usually prefers the use of unbleached mus- 
lin, and to wind about ten yards on each roll, and to 
renew frequently. A machine of this type is sllO^\^l 
in Fig. 23. When the machine is first covered it will 
dampen more freely than after it has run awhile, so 
it is important to use care in the matter of adjust- 
ment of rolls when the machine is first covered. There 
are other forms of dampening machines, but the gen- 
eral type of machine in use is one already described. 

The machine shown in Fig. 24 dampens the skirt 
of the shirt only, after which the skirt is laid over the 
bosom of the shirt, thus, in a measure, dampening on 
the same principle as by the use of sheets. This is a 
very good plan of dampening, and it is very successful. 

In any form of a dampening machine perfect damp- 
ness is not at first obtained, as only certain portions 
of the garment receive the moisture, while the others 
remain dry. If the goods were dampened sufiiciently 
at first to moisten the whole surface, they would be too 



— 80 




Figr. 25. HYDRAULIC OR STEAM SHIRT PRESS. 

(A. T. Hagen Co.) 



— 81 — 

damp to iron. To avoid this trouble they are only 
partially dampened and are then allowed to remain in 
this condition long enough to allow the moisture to 
penetrate from the moistened portions into those that 
are not moistened. In time all the moisture in the 
garment will be thoroughly distributed in every fibre. 
To aid this process the dampening press is a necessary 
adjunct. When the goods are placed in this machine 
and firmly pressed together, it brings the fibre in closer 
contact, and uniformity in the dampness is brought 
about much more quickly than when the goods are not 
subject to pressure. 

There are many forms of shirt presses on the mar- 
ket, but the most practical plan for large quantities of 
new work is to press the work in a damping-box and 
allow it to remain in these boxes until it is ready for 
ironing. Xew work never should be ironed the same 
day it is dampened, as it requires from ten to twelve 
hours for goods to be thoroughly and fully saturated 
with moisture. Several good forms of dampening 
press are shown in Figs. 25, 26, 27 and 28. 

The author would recommend the use of a large 
dampening truck that will hold about 40 dozen shirts. 
This truck should be zinc-lined and mounted on rollers 
or castors. Shirts, when damp, should be folded, the 
skirt over the bosom, and packed closely in this zinc- 
lined truck, and they should finally be covered with a 
clean moistened cloth. Over this cloth there should 
be a cover that will fit in the truck-box. There should 
also be some sort of an arrangement into which the 
truck may be run and the goods pressed and allowed 
to remain until ready to iron. A press of this nature 
is shown in Fig. 29. An arrangement by which a 



82 




rigr. 26. STEAM SHIRT PRESS. 

(Nelson & Kreuter.) 



— 83 — 




Fig. 27. HYDRAUIilC OR STEAM PRESS, 

I.F. iM. Watkins Co.) 



84 




Fig. 28. SHIRT PRESS. 

(Henrici Laundry Machinery Co.) 



85 — 




Fig. 28a. SHIRT PRESS. 

(Henrici Laundry Machinery Co.) 



86 




Figr. 29. COMBINATION SHIRT PRESS. 

(American Laundry Machinery Co.) 



— 87 — 

common jackscrew may be used affords a Very cheap 
and satisfactory press. 

Some factories are equipped with a power screw 
arrangement which is very convenient, but as this de- 
vice is not practical in every locality, the details of 
its construction will not be given. Anything that will 
press the goods together after they are placed in the 
box is all that is needed. After the goods are pressed 
the truck can be run into the ironing-room and allowed 
to remain there until the goods are ready to iron. 

The dampening so far described is for goods which 
are to be ironed by machines. The dampening of shirts 
to be iroftd by hand is usually done by the person 
who irons them, as each individual is particular to have 
his work dampened to suit himself. The degrees of 
dampness vary according to the ideas of the ironer. 
Some ironers iron goods considerably damper than 
others, so the matter of dampening for hand ironers 
need not be treated here. What has been said above 
applies equally as well to the dampening of shirts, 
collars and cuffs. * 



CHAPTER 7. 

THE IKONIXG-ROOM. 

Among the first questions one has to consider in the 
equipment of the ironing-room is that of gas. So far 
science has not furnished us with any practical means 
of heating ironing machinery sufficiently excepting with 
gas. There are, however, a few machines that may be 
used which are heated with steam, and as these are 
the exception, they will be taken up later. 

There has been considerable exj^erimenting with 
electricity for the purpose of heating ironing machinery, 
but, so far, it has not been successful. No substance 
seems to have been found that will sufficiently stand 
the high temperature necessary and at the same time 
have sufficient resistance. Therefore, gas seems to be 
the only source of heat entirely practicable for ironing 
machinery. 

There are three kinds of gas which may be used. 
One is natural gas, another is ordinary illuminating gas, 
and the other is a gas manufactured from gasoline, 
either from a general plant or by a special burner at 
the ironer. Experiments are also being made at the 
present time with water-gas, but no practical applica- 
tion of this gas to laundry work seems to have been 
made. In localities where natural gas is to be ob- 
tained, it is generally used in laundry machines, as it 
is considerably cheaper than manufactured gas, pro- 
duces greater heat, requires less oxygen, and in every 
way is very suitable for laundry purjioses. 



— 89 — 

The majority of laundries in the United States are 
using illuminating gas, which is furnished in the ma- 
jority of towns having a population of over 3,000, 
This gas is well adapted for laundry purposes, as it 
burns very uniformly, the combustion is quite com- 
plete, and as far as its doing the w^ork is concerned, it 
is generally satisfactory. Of course, the quality will 
vary in different localities, according as the gas plants 
may vary in their equipments. However, the author's 
experience has been that illuminating gas furnished by 
the public gas plants in the different towns that he has 
visited has run very uniformly in quality. The chief 
objection to this kind of gas is its cost. Gas plants are 
usually owned by corporations, which control the sup- 
ply and prices of the article. Consequently laundry- 
men have to accept their terms or go without gas. 

Gas manufactured from gasoline affords a gTeat 
saving when compared with illuminating gas, and pro- 
duces an intense heat. The objection to this gas is, 
however, that it has a very strong odor, and is harder 
to regulate in the burners than natural gas or the regu- 
lar illuminating gas. Gasoline gas requires very little 
oxygen mixed with it. It produces a blue flame, and 
is not a success for lighting purposes in the ordinary 
gas burner. However, should it be desired to use this 
kind of gas for illuminating purposes, excellent results 
may be obtained by using a Welsbach burner. There 
are other forms of burners made to be used with gas- 
oline gas, but in the author's experience they have not 
proven satisfactory. 

The author has had considerable experience with 
gasoline gas, and he considers it very satisfactory for 
laundry purposes. It is usually produced at a cost 



— 90 — 

which is about one-half that of citj gas, and if a mod- 
ern gas plant be used the objections to this gas, already 
stated, are reduced to a minimum. 

The Springfield Gas Machine is frequently used. 
This machine consists of a large iron tank having sec- 
tions and reservoirs in which the gasoline is placed 
and through which air is circulated. This tank is buried 
, several feet underground, and quite a distance from the 
laundry. In the pans containing the gasoline are in- 
serted a fibrous substance which extends above the level 
of the liquid, and becomes saturated with it. The air 
is circulated through this material and becomes im- 
pregnated with the gas from the gasoline. In cold 
weather, the air that is forced into the machine is 
heated in order to produce better evaporation, as gas- 
oline requires a temperature of not less than 75 de- 
grees in order to vaporize it. The tanks are buried in 
the ground and away from the buildings, in order to 
lessen the danger from explosion and reduce the in- 
surance rates. The modern gas plant has every equip- 
ment known in the way of safety appliances, and it is 
quite unusual to hear of any damage arising from the 
use of gasoline in this sort of a plant. 

The plant which has just been described is quite 
an extensive one, and is designed to meet the needs of 
a large establishment. One would not be justified in 
adopting it who is doing a small business. In Fig. 30 
is shown the Vernon Gas Machine, adapted for both, 
small and large laundries. 

There is also an ironing machine burner on the 
market which is designed to generate gas directly from 
the gasoline, but the author's experience with this de- 
vice leads him to believe that it is an undesirable one. 



91 




Fig. 30. GAS MACHINE. 

(W.W.Vernon.) 



— 92 — 

and that it should not be resorted to unless the laundry 
is so located that no other gas can be obtained. These 
burners work very well when new and clean, but they 
soon become clogged, and cause no end of annoyance. 

The supply of gas to the laundry should be suffcient 
to heat all the machines and stoves when everything is 
running. There must be an abundant supply of gas, 
or the full capacity of the machines which use it can 
not be obtained. There is nothing so discouraging to 
an oi:)erator as to have insufficient heat in his machine. 
To those who can not obtain a large supply of gas, 
the author recommends the use of a fan connected in 
the main gas supply. This fan should be connected 
in such a way that it becomes part of the gas passage. 
The inlet-pipe should be connected to the inlet of the 
fan, and the outlet-pipe connected to the outlet of the 
fan. All joints should be made tight to prevent the 
escape of gas. The shaft that carries the fan should 
be provided with stuffing-boxes, to prevent any escape 
of gas through the journals. When this fan is revolved 
it produces a partial vacuum, which causes the gas to 
flow forward more rapidly, and the motion of the fan 
carries the gas outward, producing greater pressure 
in the j)ipes leading to the machines. 

Wherever possible, all pipes should be conducted 
under the floor on which the machines set, and they 
should be connected tlia'ough the floor to each individual 
machine. The iron pipe should be run to within a 
few inches of the burner, and should be closed by a 
valve. Connection should be made from the pipe to 
the burner by means of rubber tubing. 

The nature of the work done on ironing machinery 
requires the heating of small rolls and irons, of which 



— 93 — 

there can be no natural ventilation, and as there can 
be no combustion without oxygen, it is necessary to 
provide a forced supply of air directly to the point at 
which the combustion is desired. This is accomplished 
by means of a fan or an air-pump, forcing air through 
pipes, and conducting it to the point where the com- 
bustion is required. This problem has given inventors 
a great amount of thought and exjJeriment. 

The modern burner embodies all the true principles 
of perfect combustion. In the ordinary burner de- 
signed to burn illuminating gas for the purpose of pro- 
ducing light, i. e., the ordinary fishtail burner, the 
combustion of the gas is incomplete. It is this incom- 
plete combustion that produces light, for the reason 
that the temperature is not sufficient to consume every 
particle of the fuel and a portion of it becomes incan 
descent. The incandescent state is necessary, as it is 
from the incandescent particles that the light is given 
off. It is therefore necessary in a heating burner to 
mix air with the gas just before it reaches the burner, 
in order to insure complete combustion, and the deri- 
vation of the maximum possible amount of heat from 
the fuel. This is not so necessary when gasoline gas 
is used, as there is already a considerable amount of air 
mixed with it when it reaches the burner. When gas 
is burned with free access of air, it is only necessary 
to so arrange the burner that air may enter and mix 
with the gas before it reaches the point of combustion 
— the flame. When the gas is burned without free 
access of air, as is the case in the roll of an ironer, 
it is necessary to supply air to mix with the gas before 
reaching the flame, and also to surround the burner by 
an air-pipe, through which the air is supplied under 
pressure. 



94 




Fig. 31. ROOT BLOTVER. 

(P. H. & F. M. Root Co.) 




Fig. 33. AIR FAN. 

(American Laundry Machinery Co.) 



— 95 — 

Siicli burners as are used in ironing rolls consist of 
a small pipe enclosed in a larger one. The gas is ad- 
mitted into the smaller pipe, and it is allowed to escape 
from a number of fine holes at the point where combus- 
tion is desired. There is also a small air-pipe which 
is connected to the gas pipe at a point somewhat in ad- 
vance of the point of combustion, and this furnishes 
sufiicient air to insure complete combustion while 
air is allowed to pass around the gas through the 
larger air-pipe. If the smaller air-pipe were not pres- 
ent, the combustion would be incomplete, and the re- 
sult would be a yellow flame which would soon coat 
the inner surface of the roll with soot. Soot is a non- 
conductor, and it destroys the heating properties of the 
roll. 

The usual method of supplying air to ironing ma- 
chines is with a fan, although many laundries of 
late have adopted the Root blower, shown in Fig. 31, 
or an air-pump. A fan simply creates a current of air, 
but will not produce any great pressure. If there is 
an outlet in the pipe, the air flows through, but when 
passages are all closed no greater pressure is accumu- 
lated. Therefore, in large plants having many feet 
of air-pipe, a blower or a pump, giving positive pres- 
sure, is preferable, as long surfaces which afford fric- 
tion, rtard the velocity of air, and lessen the efiiciency 
of the fan, the machines nearest the fan getting more 
air than those farthest from it. However, a good fan- 
blower, twelve inches in diameter, and running at the 
rate of 3,500 turns a minute, will furnish sufficient 
air to operate quite an extensive j^lant. The chief 
objection, other than stated, to a fan, is the high rate 
of speed to which it must be run. This usually affords 



— 96 — 

laundrymen considerable annoyance in the way of 
breaking belts and heating journals. The author's ad- 
vice to the laundrynian who must use a fan is, to get 
the best. Use self -oiling bearings and countershaft; 
use best grade leather belting, cemented together, and 
arrange both the fan and the countershaft so they may 
be adjusted to tighten the belt. Then make the belts 
endless, and never resort to lacing. The Sturtevant 
fan shoAvn in Fig. 32 is a good example of this type. 

The air-pipes leading from the fan should be large, 
in order that there may be as little friction to the air 
as possible. The elbows and bends in the air-pipe 
should be round. Any square turns in the air-pipe 
afford great resistance to the air and retard its velocity. 
Any branches from the main pipe should be joined 
with a "Y" and not with a "T". Good heavy tin is 
an excellent material to use in making this air pipe. 

The ''Root" blower is made with an arrangement of 
irregular shaped cylinders which are revolved inside of 
an air-tight casing. As these cylinders rotate they take 
in the air and pocket it, producing an atmospheric pres- 
sure in the discharge pipe. With this machine it is not 
safe to use tin pipe, as the pressure is liable to be so great 
that it will burst it. Iron pipe is preferable to use in 
connection with a "Root" blower. A smaller pipe can 
be used than with a fan as the pressure overcomes the 
friction of the pipe walls. 

In many modern equipped laundries will be found 
the air pump. This pump is of a design similar to the 
regular plunger water pump. It is especially built for 
pumping air. The air is pumped into a large iron 
reservoir, which equalizes the pressure and from the 
reservoir is connected the air supply pipe. The reser- 



voir should be large enough to contain a sufficient 
amount of air to cause a steady. flow and pressure in 
the air pipe. If this reservoir is too small, the throb- 
bing of the pump will be noticeable in the air pipes, 
and an uneven flow of air will result. This device 
is quite expensive, but it affords a very satisfactory 
arrangement for producing an abundant supply of air 
to a large number of machines. The connection from 
the reservoir to the machines should be made with iron 
pipe. 



— 98 — 



CHAPTER 8. 

IRONING-KOOM METHODS. 

There are three methods of ironing new work. One 
method is to iron the shirt entirely by hand with a 
hand iron ; another is to iron part of the shirt by hand 
and part by- machine, and the other is to iron the shirt 
entirely by machine. The latter method is coming into 
general use. Competition has brought it about. Prices 
for laundering shirts have been very much reduced ow- 
ing to the introduction of ironing machinery, and it 
enables the laundrjmian to handle large volumes of 
work with comparatively inexperienced help, as the 
machines are so constructed that they will perform 
perfect work when run by an operator having ordinary 
intelligence. Hand ironing is a trade, and can not 
be acquired except by long apprenticeship, and good 
work can be obtained only by continuous practice of 
the workman. 

To iron a shirt entirely by hand requires a great 
amount of intelligence, judgment, and skill. The same 
shirt can be ironed nearly as well by machines with 
operators having very little experience and who do not 
need to possess a technical knowledge of ironing. Con- 
sequently it is much easier to establish a machine iron- 
ing business than to establish a hand ironing business. 
However, in many factories there are found to be no 
machines, the work being ironed entirely by hand. But 
this is only done in factories having a well established 



retail business and a reputation whicli places them in 
a position to sell their goods at a price which war- 
rants their paying to have the work ironed by hand. 
The average laundry, handling the average class of 
goods, will find it ruinous if hand ironing is the plan 
on which the goods are laundered. The argument 
against machine work is that it can not equal handwork. 
But this argument can not hold true, as there are laun- 
dries in the United States that are known to be doing 
as fine work by machines as it is possible to have done 
by hand, and in many cases the work ironed on ma- 
chines finds a quicker sale than work ironed by hand. 

One great recommendation for machine work is its 
uniformity. In a well regulated laundry, ironing 
shirts by machines will produce uniform results. Ev- 
ery shirt will be of the same character and ajipearance, 
while the shirts ironed by hand will have as many 
different grades as there are different ironers working. 
One operator will iron a shirt stiff, while another will 
iron it soft. There will be a difference in the general 
character of the work ; so much so that one can hardly 
recognize the shirts after they are ironed, there being 
so much difference in the work of one operator and an- 
other. 

The plan of ironing shirts partially by machines 
and partially by hand is, in many cases, quite practical. 
By this plan the starched portions of the shirt are usu- 
ally ironed by machines and the balance by hand. The 
inside of the yoke is ironed by hand ; the neckband, 
the wristbands and the bosom are ironed by machine, 
and then the body and the sleeves are ironed by hand, 
making a combination which, in results, resembles the 
character of hand ironing very closely. It is, how- 



:fC 



— 100 — 

ever, still more expensive than all machine work, and 
requires skilled mechanics after the machine work is 
done to put it into shape. 

The following machines and devices are necessary 
in a machine ironing plant: A bosom ironer; a back 
ironer; a neck ironer; a wristband ironer; a bosom 
fixing table ; a yoke setter ; a sleeve ironer ; a body 
ironer and a folding table. They should be arranged 
in line in the order given. The machinery should, if 
possible, be driven from shafting below the floor, as 
this will avoid a great amount of dust from moving 
belts and oil from the shafting, as when it is placed 
overhead. With the above arrangement of machines 
the shirt passes from one machine to another in its 
regular course. Each part is ironed on a separate 
machine, and as it passes along the line it gradually 
develops into a laundered shirt. 

The author's plan is usually to iron the inside yokes 
of the shirt first and generally by hand. Although he 
has used very successfully the same kind of a machine 
that is used for ironing wristbands, he considers hand 
ironing for inside yokes the best. The inside of the 
yoke of a shirt is very conspicuous after the shirt is 
folded, and it should be ironed very neatly and well. 
The objection to ironing by machine is that it crushes 
the plaits and gathers, and produces a gloss finish 
which looks very cheap. If the inside yoke is ironed 
by hand, and the balance of the shirt is ironed well by 
machine, it will have, when finished, the character of 
a hand ironed shirt. There are a great many varieties 
of bosom ironers, all of which possess a certain amount 
of merit, but there are very few machines made that 
are well adapted to new work. 



— 101 — 

j^ew work can not be succcssfnlly ironed on the 
ordinary bosom ironer which is found in use in custom 
laundries. It must be a machine having clamps and 
devices to hold the shirt in its pro23er position, so that 
the shirt may be ironed absolutely correct. It is nec- 
essary to pay a great amount of attention to the manner 
in which the bosom is ironed. It is impossible to get 
a shirt well laundered if there is no attention paid to 
the way the shirt is ironed on the bosom ironer. It 
takes very little deviation to cause the shirt to be out 
of shape when it is folded. A shirt is built on close 
lines, and if these lines are distorted in any way it will 
cause the shirt to be warped and cramped and to have 
an unsightly appearance. Consequently, a machine 
not having devices for stretching and holding a shirt 
in shape is not a practical machine with which to iron 
new work. 

Mr. Watson first recognized this jDoint, and was 
the first man to successfull}^ construct a machine that 
would properly iron a new shirt. His machine, shown 
in Fig. 33, is now in general use in many of the largest 
manufactories. It has all the attachments necessary 
to hold the shirt in the proper shape, and is also of 
great capacity. 

The Watson machine is constructed on the plan of 
a reciprocating table which carries the shirt under a 
roll. It is in contact with the rolls only in its forward 
motion, then it drops away from the heated roll and 
returns to its former position, thus ironing in one di- 
rection only, that is, from the neckband towards the 
bottom of the bosom, Avhich causes all fullness to ad- 
vance in the same direction. As the bosom is being 
ironed the slack, or fullness, can be taken up by the 



102 — 




Fig. 33. WATSON IRONER. 

(Nelson & Kreuter.) 



103 




Fig. 34. HENRICI BOSOM IRONER. 

(Henrici Laundry Machinery Co.) 



stretching device which is on the machine. There is 
a clamp which covers the neckband and presses it into 
a space below the level of the surface of the bosom 
board. This clamp holds the neckband in position and 
protects it from being dried out while the bosom is 
being ironed. This leaves the neckband in a moist- 
ened condition so that it may be easily ironed on a neck- 
band machine. It also has clamjDS to hold the shirt in 
position by attaching the shirt to the board at the point 
where the yoke is in contact with the end of the board. 
Thus it is that the shirt is held firmly in position while 
the bosom is ironed, tuid renders it possible to get a 
correct shape on the shirt when it is finished. 



— 104 — 

The Henrici, a bosom ironer shown in Fig. 34, is 
of a different type from the Watson machine. This 
machine has removable boards, the sizes ranging to 
corresj^ond to the different sizes of the shirts. One 
board will iron two different sizes, making it necessary 
to have but three boards for all sizes of shirts, except 
the board for boy's sizes. The shirt bosom is drawn 
over this board. There is a round opening at one end 
into which the neckband of the shirt is placed, and then 
into this opening there is inserted a round ring and the 
shirt drawn up to the shoulders, causing it to lie in its 
proper position, with only the neckband reversed. The 
machine is constructed with a revolving heated roll and 
a revolving drum arranged to be raised or lowered at 
the will of the operator. The shirt, as it is on the 
board, is run between the revolving drum and the re- 
volving heated roll. Pressure is applied and the shirt 
moves forward by the action of the drum, and the 
fullness is stretched out as the shirt is drawn, practi- 
cally as it is on the Watson machine. The shirt passes 
forward, the drum is lowered and the shirt is pulled 
back to its original position. 

The chief merit claimed for this machine is that the 
different sizes are ironed on the proper size board, 
making it easier to iron correctly all the different sizes 
of shirts, while on other machines the operator is obliged 
to judge at what dej^th the neckband should be drawn 
in order that it will correspond in size to the shirt, 
and in many instances the operator's judgment is at 
fault and causes ill-shaped shirts. If, for instance, 
the operator, in ironing a small shirt, docs not pull the 
neckband in under the clamp far enough, it will cause 
bulging up of the bosom Avhen the neckband is but- 
toned together. However, operators soon learn to judge 



— 105 — 

the position of the shirt, and it is practical to iron all 
sizes of shirts on one size board, provided the operator 
has good judgment. 

There is not so much difference in the sizes of the 
shirts in the circle of the bosom as one would naturally 
suppose. The difference in the various sizes is in the 
size of the circle in the yoke, and not so much in the 
bosom. This makes it possible for a small shirt to be 
ironed on the same bosom board as a large shirt, except, 
of course, the larger shirt must be let out more in the 
neckband than the smaller. The difference is not so 
great, however, but that it is p^'actical to iron it on the 
same board. Another advantage claimed for the 
Henrici machine is that while one operator is placing 
shirts on one board, another operator is ironing on an- 
other board, thus increasing the capacity. 

The curved board shirt ironers are rapidly becoming 
popular, and they present advantages in handling the 
work. A very good example of this type is found in the 
Stone Kacer. 

The author has obtained more satisfactory results 
in operating an ironing machine with a slow motion 
than a fast one. It requires a certain time to dry out 
a garment and, if a machine is running slowly, tlie 
heated iron is in contact with the goods longer than in 
running fast. To get the same amount of contact 
requires more motions or a faster movement of the iron 
over the goods, and especially is this theory true in the 
operation of a bosom ironer. If the machine is speeded 
too high, a greater number of passes of the shirt under 
the roll is required, and, as the bed moves so rapidly, 
the operator has not sufficient time to properly ma- 
nipulate the machine and stretch the shirt while it is 
being ironed. 



— 106 — 



CHAPTER 9. 

THE BACK IRONER. 

The next thing to lIo on a shirt, after the bosom is 
ironed, is to iron tlie back. This is nsnally done on 
a machine that is known as the body ironer. It is 
necessary to iron the back and remove all the moisture 
there may be in it, or else, when it is folded, the 
moisture in the back will be absorbed by the bosom, 
causing the bosom to have an uneven appearance. The 
rolls on this machine should not be less than thirty 
inches long, and the cloth roll should travel at the 
speed of thirty revolutions per minute. Any make of 
machine of this type will answer the purpose. The 
preference of the author is for machines having re- 
volving heated rolls, rather than for those having a 
stationary shoe. And this preference is extended to 
any machine of this type, no matter to what purpose 
it is put. 

When goods are of a proper dampness, a machine 
having a stationary iron will give fairly good results, 
but it is impossible to maintain even dampness, and if 
the goods are a little dry, better results, in the author's 
opinion, may be obtained with revolving heated rolls. 
With a roll, the whole pressure is concentrated to a 
line, whereas, with a stationary iron the jjressure is 
distributed all over the surface of the iron, and to iron 
well goods that are not properly dampened, or goods 
that have dried out to a certain degree, the roll is much 



— 107 — 




Fig. 35. ROLIi BODY IRONER. 

(Nelson & Kreuter.) 



— 108 




— 109 — 




Fig. 37. AMERICAN BODY IKONER. 

(American Laundry Machinery Co.) 



— 110 — 

better, for the reason already stated, that the iron 
presses the goods in a line of contact. A large supply 
of gas and air is required to operate this machine, as it 
is a long roll, and the nature of the work which it per- 
forms absorbs a large amount of heat, a large propor- 
tion of which is also given off bj radiation. Several 
examples of modern body ironers are shown in Figs, 
35, 36 and 37. 

In certain makes of this machine the rolls project 
beyond their bearings, there being no bearings at the 
extreme end of the rolls, while in other makes the 
heated roll has a bearing at its extreme end, making it 
more rigid and more durable. The objection to this 
class of machine is the liability of oil dropping on tile 
work from the upper bearings, although this has been 
successfully guarded against by most manufacturers. 
The lower roll, of course, has no bearing, because it 
would render it impracticable in placing the work on 
the machine. This machine is constructed usually in 
such a way that when the lower roll is brought in con- 
tact with the upper roll it begins to revolve, and when 
it drops away its motion stops. However, in some 
makes of machines, the lower roll revolves continu- 
ously, which arrangement is open to several objections. 
It affords great danger in operation, as the operator 
is liable to get an arm caught in the machine, and if 
the rolls revolve continuously, they may cause a serious 
accident to the operator. 



Ill — 



CHAPTER 10. 

NECKBAND AND WRISTBAND IRONERS. 

^ext in order in this line of machinery is the 
neckband ironer. This is one of the most simj^le ma- 
chines in the hiundry, and yet it is of the greatest im- 
portance and the most difficult to operate. The usual 
type of neckband ironer is constructed with a revolving 
covered roll running in contact with a stationary heated 
iron. The pressure is applied by means of a pedal 
connected to the heated iron by a perpendicular rod. 
Pressure is applied by the foot when the work is fed 
through. The roll does not run in contact with the 
iron when it is performing no work. 

There is another tj-pe of neckband ironer which is 
constructed with two revolving rolls, one roll being 
heated and the other covered, and its operation is simi- 
lar to the one already described. The author prefers 
the former machine, for the reason that it is easier to 
operate, is not so liable to damage the work, and it 
irons stiffer neckbands. The Troy machine, shown 
in Fig. 38, and the Hoyt Improved, shown in Fig. 
39, are good representatives of the type of machines 
first described. 

What has been said in regard to slow motion in 
ironing will be emphasized in describing the manner 
of neckband ironing. If a neckband ironing machine 
runs too fast, it is impossible to guide the work prop- 
erly, and it is also impossible to iron a stiff neckband. 



112 — 




Fig. 38. TROY NECKBAND IRONER. 

(Troy Laundry Machinery Co.) 



113 




Fig. 39. HOYT IMPROVED BAND IRONER. 

(Hoyt Mfg. Co- 



— 114 — 

The revolving roll of a neckband machine should not 
run faster than twenty-five turns per minute. 

The wristband ironing machine, which comes next 
in order after the neckband ironer, is not so important 
a machine as the latter, neither is it so difficult to 
operate. In this class of machine there are also two 
types ; one with a stationary heated iron, showm in Fig. 

40, and one with a revolving heated roll, shown in Fig. 

41. The author has no particular choice in either 
of these machines. 

A wristband ironer should have a roll not less than 
six inches long, in order that a portion of the sleeve 
as far as the binding may be ironed at the same time 
as the wristband. In either type of machine described 
above the rolls are brought in contact with the ironing 
surface by means of foot pressure, and an operator, 
having learned to manage one machine, can easily op- 
erate the other. As far as quality and quantity of 
work is concerned the author has been able to detect 
no difference between them. The covered roll on this 
machine should not run faster than thirty turns per 
minute. 



— 115 — 




Flff. 40. HENRICI 'WRISTBAND IRONER. 

Stationary Iron. 

(Henrici Laundry Machinery Co.) 



116 




Fis- 41. HAGEN "WKISTBAND IRONER. 
Revolving Roll. 
(A. T. Hagen Co.) 



— 117 — 



■ CHAPTER 11. 

THE BOSOM-FIXING TABLE AND THE YOKE-SETTING 
MACHIN.E.- 

After the wristband-ironer comes a very important 
operation. This shirt has now had its yoke, bosom, 
back, neck and wristband ironed, and as it has become 
more or less rnmpled up in the previons operations, 
it now needs an operation to put it into shirt shape 
and commence to give it the appearance of a well laun- 
dered shirt. This operation is performed on the bosom- 
fixing table. This table is a sort of a home made de- 
vice which can be built by almost any carpenter, and 
consists of a regular table such as used by hand ironers. 

If one does not care to manufacture this table they 
can buy them of a well known laundry machinery com- 
pany. A table of this kind must have a projecting 
board having shoulder clamps and a stretching device 
for holding the shirt in proper shape. It is also nec- 
essary to have a gas stove attached to the table for 
heating flatirons. The table should be made very 
strong and securely fastened to the floor. 

The yoke-setting machine, an example of which is 
shown in Fig. 43, will now be considered. This is a 
sort of a hand and foot operated device which requires 
no mechanical power to operate it. It consists of a 
stationary table having a universal swinging arm 
which carries a gas heated iron. This arm is raised 
and lowered by means of foot pressure and is moved 
to any position on the board at the will of the operator. 



— 118 — 




Fig. 42. YOKE SETTER. 

(.A. T. Hagen Co.) 



— ] 19 — 

The iron has a handle bv which the operator may move 
the iron to any position desired. There is also a spring 
attachment, which produces a certain amount of pressure 
on the iron. The iron is square in shape, having a 
beveled side and rounded edges on three sides, while 




Fig. 43. YOKE SETTER. 

(Henrici Laundry Machinery Co.) 

on one side the edge is square-cornered. The iron may 
be turned into any position. The yoke-setting machine 
is used to set the yokes of shirts after they come from 
the bosom-fixing table. It irons the yoke smoothly 
and sticks it firmly together ?o that it will hold the 
shirt in proper shape when folded. 



— 120 — 

CHAPTER 12. 

SLEEVE AND BODY-IRONERS. 

The next machine in order, after the yoke-setter^ 
is the sleeve-ironing machine, an example of which is 
illustrated in Fig. '-i-i. This machine is of the same 
type as the one already described for ironing backs, the 
difference consisting only in its having shorter rolls. 
The rolls for this machine should be about twenty inches 
long. Some laundrymen iron sleeves on a lighter ma- 
chine with a shorter roll, but in order to iron a sleeve 
well, and to preserve the shape of the shirt, the shirt 
should be ironed on the side as far down as the bottom 
of the bosom. Starting from the side line of the 
bosom, the ironing should be from that line towards 
the side of the shirt, and continued on to the sleeve 
until the cuff is reached. In order to iron the shirt 
on the side and the sleeve in this manner, the rolls 
must be longer and the machine heavier than is re- 
quired to iron the sleeve only. 

The ironing of bodies has long been a perplexing 
question, and a great many plans have been introduced 
for ironing this part of the shirt, but all plans seem 
to have failed, except one, and that is, ironing the 
shirt flat, as it would naturally lie when it is to be 
folded. If the body of a shirt is ironed on a roll 
machine similar to the one already described for iron- 
ing the backs, it is sure to put the fullness of the skirt 
in the wrong place, and render it difficult to fold 
neatly. Thus, it is necessary to lay the shirt, flat, with 
the bosom up, stretch all the fullness, and lay neces- 



— 121 — 




Fig. 44. TROY SLEEVE IRONER. 
(Troy Laundry Machinery Co.) 



— 122 — 

sary wrinkles to the side of the skirt, having the front 
skirt, where it shows when folded, lie smooth and flat. 
Then, if the shirt is ironed in this position, an easy 
and natural fold can be obtained. 

The Watson Body Ironer is shown in Fig. 45. It 
is the invention of Mr. L. H. Watson. This machine 
consists of a stationary bed, large enough to admit a 
shirt being laid on it at full length. It has a device 
for clamping the yoke in position, and a stretcher for 
removing the wrinkles from the skirt. Above the 
table is suspended a heated roll, which is brought into 
contact with the shirt at the lower end of the bosom. 
It is then caused to move from the bosom towards the 
bottom of the skirt, and as the roll moves forward the 
stretching device takes up all the fullness, allowing 
the roller to produce an even, flat finish to the whole 
front of the shirt. After the roll has moved over the 
surface of the table it is automatically raised and car- 
ried back to its original position, where it remains at 
rest until it is again employed by the operator. This 
machine is quite elaborate in construction, and too com- 
plicated to admit of a detailed description here. It 
may be said however, that its complications are no 
detriment to the machine, as any machine "built on this 
plan, and doing the work which this is designed to 
do, must necessarily be complicated. 

The Henrici machine, shown in Fig. 46, differs 
from the Watson machine in every particular as re- 
gards construction and plan of operation, while the 
result obtained is the same as in the Watson machine. 
The Henrici machine consists of a revolving drum over 
which is passed a canvas apron. This apron is carried 
on rolls, which are mounted in line with the upper 



— 123 — 




— 124 — 

edge of the drum. The drum being equally distant 
between the carrying rolls, it affords a continuous move- 
ment of a flat surface. Above this apron is a revolv- 
ing heated roll. The apron, the drum and the carrier 
rolls are mounted on a frame which is made to raise 
and lower by means of a foot lever, thus carrying the 
whole equally. The natural position of this drum and 
apron, when the machine is not in use, is at its lowest 
point, and when it is iri this position the apron is at 
rest, as it ;moves only when the drum is raised and 
pressed against the revolving lieated roll. 

The shirt, is laid flat on the apron, and passed 
under the revolving roll, and when the shirt is in the 
right position with the end of the bosom directly 
under the heated roll, the drum is brought up, pressure 
is applied to the apron, which moves forward, carry- 
ing the shirt with it, thus ironing from the bottom of 
the bosom to the lower end of the skirt, producing the 
same result as is produced by the Watson machine, the 
difference being that in the Henrici machine the shirt 
moves forward, and tlie roll remains in one position, 
while in the Watson machine the shirt remains station- 
ary and the roll moves forward. There is no stretch- 
ing device on the Henrici machine. The operator does 
the stretching with his hands while the shirt moves 
forward. If the shirt is not sufficiently ironed by one 
passage it can be returned and ironed again simply by 
pulling the apron back by hand. 

Objections have been made to this plan of ironing 
because it is claimed it sticks the skirts together, and 
makes too stiff a body. These objections are easily 
overcome. In the case of sticking together the skirts 
can be pulled apart after it being ironed over once and 
finished. Then, wdien the folder gets it, he can again 



125 — 




— 126 — 

pull it apart, and if there are any little creases or 
breaks he can smooth it out with a flat iron. If the 
body is too stiff it is usually due to its having too much 
dipping-starch or by having the work too damp. A 
cheap grade of shirt, as has been said before, should 
be very stiff in the body. There are very few buyers 
who will accept a cheap shirt unless it is well starched, 
and when it comes to be ironed on the body ironer it 
is well to fold it up in the condition in wdiich the ma- 
chine leaves it, and not attempt to pull the skirt apart. 
Fastidious laundrymen will say that this is not good 
work, l^ut the author's experience has been that the 
trade desire a cheap shirt starched and ironed all over 
as stiffly as possible, and the laundryman must give 
the trade what it wants. 

After the shirt has passed this machine it has been 
completely ironed, and is ready to be folded. There 
is no machine on the market for the purpose of folding 
shirts. There are one or two large factories, how- 
ever, that operate machines to aid in the folding, but 
which do not fold the shirt completely. This is some- 
thing that, to the author's knowledge, has never been 
done, and there is afforded an excellent opportunity 
for a useful invention in this direction. 

Shirts are folded by hand, the only accessories re- 
quired being suitable tables and flatirons. These 
tables should be arranged near the body-ironer, and the 
shirts folded immediately after they come from the 
latter machine. 

It is customary to have a gas stove on each table, 
for heating the irons used by the folder. The shirts 
must be creased with a hot iron, and any place that 
has not been properly ironed should be touched up by 
the folder. 



— 127 — 

After the shirt is folded it should be placed care- 
fully in a box made for the purpose. This box should 
hold about two dozen shirts. It is a convenient plan 
to have rollers attached to the box, so that it can be 
moved around the room easily. When the folder has 
filled one of these boxes, it should be taken away, and 
removed to the examination table. From there the 
shirts should be taken and examined. As the examin- 
ing department is usually a part of the boxing depart- 
ment it will be considered in connection w4th the 
boxing operation. 

As the work passes from one machine to another 
it is necessary to have something on which to place 
it while it is waiting for the next operation, and as 
a convenient means for this purpose the use of light 
portable racks is recommended, which wall allow the 
hanging of a shirt by the arms, having the body be- 
tween the supporting rails of the rack. 

Each operator should be supplied with clean sponge 
cloths and there should be basins of clean water ar- 
ranged at convenient points along the line of the ma- 
chines, as there is always sure to be more or less spong- 
ing to do in each operation, in order to get clean work 
and produce the right dampness. The bosom-ironers 
and bosom-fixing tables should be supplied with plait 
raisers. 

If there are more than one line of machines in opera- 
tion, the back-yoke ironers should be supplied with 
rubber stamps, and stamp their work. Each stamp 
will apply to the whole line, so that if there is any 
bad work done it can easily be traced. 

Having fully described the equipment of the iron- 
ing room, for ironing new shirts, the method of doing 
the work will now be considered. 



— 128 — 



CHAPTER 13. 

PROCESS OF lEONING BY MACHINES. 

The first part to iron on the shirt, is the inside 
yoke. This, as has already been stated, it is prefer- 
able to iron by hand, for the reasons given in Chapter 
8. The table on which this ]>art of the work is to 
he ironed should be covered with a soft wool felt, as it 
is impossible to produce a nicely ironed yoke on a hard 
table. Of the irons used to do this part of the work 
the rough face polishing iron is to be preferred. This 
is a small thick iron and is suitable in every way for 
this class of work. 

The shirt is laid on the table with the right side 
of the yoke next to the table and the bosom away from 
the operator. The operator first irons the double por- 
tion of the yoke of the shirt next to the neckband, 
covering a space extending about three inches from the 
outer end of the yoke. He then irons the strap, or bind- 
ing, which extends down the back. Last of all, he irons 
that portion of the back which naturally shows when the 
shirt is folded. This part of the back is usually joined to 
the yoke in gathers and to iron these gathers nicely 
requires considerable skill, which can only be obtained 
by practice. The shirt should not lay flat when this 
part is being ironed. The iron should start low enough 
on the back of the shirt to be free from the gathers., 
It is then moved upward with one hand while with 
the other hand the yoke is raised and as the iron moves 
forward it presses out the gathers instead of ironing 



— 129 — 

them in wrinkles, as would be the case if a shirt was 
ironed without being raised as described. 

Son\e manufacturers do not have the shirt gathered 
at this 2^oint and this makes it much more convenient 
to iron. But the prevailing style at the present time, 
is to have the shirt gathered at this point so it will 
show a fullness in the back of the yoke when the shirt 
is finished. Unless this part is ironed nicely the shirt 
will i^resent an unsightly appearance, no matter how 
well the balance of the shirt may be ironed. 

The inside yoke is the fir^;t thing usually observed 
as it has the size mark and the label on it. Any imper- 
fection there will be observed more quickly than any- 
where else. As first impressions are lasting it is best 
to use great care on this part of the garment. 

The knack of ironing of an inside yoke well is not 
very easily acquired. It requires greater practice 
than any other part of the process. It is necessary 
to have on this table a basin of clear water and a paddle 
shaped stick which is to be used for cooling the irons. 
The irons should be quite hot, almost to the scorching 
point, in order to iron inside yokes well. To maintain 
this heat the irons require frequent changing. As is 
usually the case, they will become overheated and, 
unless the operator is provided with means to cool them, 
it is quite certain that more or less of the work will 
be scorched. It is also necessary to provide this table 
with a small piece of Japan wax, and when the iron 
is taken from the heater it should first be touched light- 
ly on the wax and then rubbed on a clean piece of 
muslin before it is put on the shirt. Unless this is 
done the iron will stick to the shirt and is quite certain 
to scorch it. 



— 130 — 

A considerable amount of pressure must be applied 
to the iron, and the voke must be damp enough to 
allow the rough dry to be ironed easily. It is impos- 
sible to get a nicely ironed yoke if it is too dry. Be- 
cause of this fact it is necessary to iron this part of 
the shirt first before it becomes dry during the other 
operations. It is also very necessary that all the 
moisture should be dried out during the process of iron- 
ing; if not, the shirt will have a mussed appearance 
M'hen finished. 

A good operator, on a well-equipped table, can easi- 
ly iron fifty dozen inside yokes a day, unless they be 
unusually heavy and with reinforced backs. So it 
will be necessary to have only one inside-yoke ironer 
to one line of machines, as the capacity of a single line, 
as already described, is fifty dozen open-back shirts 
or thirty-five dozen open-front shirts a day. 

The ironing of inside yokes by machine is done 
on a machine similar to the wristband-ironer. The 
yoke is drawn out straight and ironed from below the 
gathers towards the neckband, and then reversed and 
ironed on the other side. This can be done either 
before or after the bosom is ironed. With the Henrici 
bosom-ironer it is necessary to iron the inside yoke 
after the bosom is ironed, as the back of the shirt comes 
in contact with the cylinder which carries the bosom- 
board while the bosom is being ironed, and if the yoke 
is ironed first it will crush it out of shape. This is 
not the case with the Watson machine, as nothing comes 
in contact with the yoke while the bosom is being 
ironed. The only objection to ironing the yoke first 
is that it is liable to become mussed when the operator 
puts it on the bosom-machine, but if the operator uses 
proper care this will not happen. 



131 — 



CHAPTER 14. 



BOSOM IRONING. 



The foundation of a well-ironed shirt is in the bosom 
ironing, and as this is the main feature of the shirt the 
utmost care and skill must necessarily be given to this 
operation. It was for a long time advocated that shirts 
could not be successfully ironed by machinery because 
the machines iron them out of shape. This was, to a 
certain extent true, until shirt manufacturers made a 
dee-p study of the problem, and made shirts which 
could be ironed by machinery. Th^re are today, how- 
ever, some shirts that can not be ironed by machines, 
as the manner in which they are cut will not permit 
the correct shape to be obtained on a machine, while 
the same shirt may be ironed correctly by hand, as the 
hand-ironer can stretch it, and make it conform to the 
shape desired. 

In ironing bosoms on a machine, one is handicapped 
by the bosom being ironed first;. If the shirt is ironed 
by hand the neckband is ironed first ; a ring is put in 
the neckband, or a block, as the case may be, and the 
bosom is stretched and conformed to the shape of the 
ring or block, thus making certain of obtaining the 
proper shape. When the bosom is ironed by machinerv 
the judgment of the operator must be relied on to iron 
the bosom in such a way that it will be properly shaped. 
This shape must be such that when the neckband is 
afterwards ironed, a ring or block may be placed in it, 



— 132 — 

and the bosom made to lie naturally without a buckle 
or a break. 

The greatest difficulty with the latter method is 
that the operator is liable to neglect to pull the bosom 
in narrow enough at the point where it is "sloped." 
That is, the bosom will be wider at the neckband than 
at the bottom. The side lines of the bosom, instead of 
running parallel, will form a slightly oblique line to 
each other. This throws the line of yoke at an out- 
ward angle, and will not admit of the neckband closing 
at the back. A shirt ironed in this way will, when the 
neckband is buttoned, raise up in front, making it im- 
possible to correctly set the yoke, or to fold the shirt 
properly. 

A shirt, Avhen it is correctly ironed, will allow the 
neckband to come together when the shirt is laid flat. 
A safe guide to go by to accomplish this result is to 
have the lines of the edge of the bosom parallel. In 
order to gain this end it is necessary to stretch the shirt 
at the bindings or edges of the bosom, which allows the 
yokes to be brought up square, and thus bring the 
upper part of the bosom into its right position. 

The seam which joins the yoke to the front of 
the shirt should run at right angles to the bosom board. 
If a shirt is placed on the bosom board in this j^osition, 
clamped and ironed, it is reasonably certain that there 
will be no trouble in having a proper shape as the re- 
sult. There is not so much importance to be attached 
to the size of the shirt as there is in getting the line to 
the shirt correctly adjusted to the neckband and yoke 
clamp. If the bosom lines are parallel, and the yoke 
seams are at right angles, this will regulate the dis- 
tance in or out from under the neckband clamj) of any 



— 133 — 

sized shirt. Of course a small shirt naturally will 
project farther under the neckband clamp than a large 
one, hut the difference is not so great as one might 
expect, and for this reason it is possible to iron all 
sizes of shirts on one board. 

What has been said in this connection aj)plies to 
open back shirts as well. The general feature is the 
same in ironing open front shirts, the only difference 
being that there are two pieces to consider instead of 
one. The theory of getting the shape remains the 
same. The lines and angles must be preserved in iron- 
ing open fronts, just as in ironing open backs. The 
main difficulty in ironing open fronts, as compared 
with ironing open backs, is the tendency of the upper 
lap of the bosom to come out longer than the lower lap, 
and to bulge up when the shirt is folded. Another 
difficulty is to avoid the showing of a crease in the 
upper lap where it lies over the under lap. The first 
difficulty is overcome by having the upper lap caught 
lower dow^n by the neckband clamp than the under lap. 
This will allow the shirt to lie flat, as the under lap 
Avill be longer than the upper lap. This is necessary 
in order to have the neckband stand up properly, as 
the neckband, when ironed, should stand at right angles 
with the bosom, hence the under lap has to be longer 
to allow the upper lap to lie naturally, and to give the 
two pieces of the neckband their relative positions. 

To avoid the crease use a thin piece of felt of the 
same thickness as the shirt bosom, placed on the right- 
hand side of the bosom board, and coming to a line 
where the edge of the nnder lap would naturally meet 
it. Thus, when the upper lap is laid on, it will have 
the same level, which is caused by the thickness of the 



— 134 — 

felt joining the edge of the nnder lap, so that when it 
is ironed there will be no impression made on the 
under lap, because it is ironed on an even surface. 

The two sides of the bosom are ironed at one time, 
which, of course, leaves an unironed surface on the 
lower lap, where it comes under the uj^per lap. To 
iron this, loosen the clamps, j^ull back the upper lap, 
readjust the clamps, and then iron over the under lap 
again. This wall iron the exposed surface which was 
under the upper lap. 

Open-front shirts, having a one-piece neckband, 
are more difficult to iron than those having two-j^iece 
neckbands, and of course it is impossible to sej^arate 
the laps and iron the portion under tlie upper lap in 
the manner just described. This kind of shirt needs 
to be finished under the lap on the bosom-fixing table, 
otherwise the bosom is ironed the same as an open-back 
shirt. 

Pique bosoms are usually ironed on the wrong side, 
in order to bring out the embossed figures. Great care 
should be taken to thoroughly iron this class of work, 
as any dampness left in will destroy the appearance of 
the bosom. 

Plaited bosoms are comparatively easy to iron, pro- 
viding they are well starched and dampened. It is 
well to raise the plaits after the bosom has been ironed 
over twice, then to finish the bosom, and raise the plaits 
again. Do not run over the bosom after the plaits have 
finally been raised. 

In ironing white work, the matter of sponging is 
quite an important matter. Even if there is no occa- 
sion to use the sponge cloth to remove the dirt, it is 
still necessary to use it in order that the bosom may 



— 135 — 

take on a better finish. It is quite a knack to sponge 
a shirt properly. The sponge cloth should be verv 
soft and absolutely clean, being large enough to make 
a good handful when it is dampened and crushed to- 
gether. The cloth should be saturated with pure, clean 
water, and wrung out as dry as possible, when it is 
ready for use. After running over the bosom once or 
twice, sponge the surface with this cloth, by rubbing 
the cloth up and down, using as much pressure as pos- 
sible. Do this iunncdiately after the shirt has passed 
under the hot roll, as the heat remaining in the bosom 
aids in giving the surface that peculiar dampness which 
is necessary to produce the highest result in the finish 
of white work. It imparts that satin-like finish which 
is so desired by the trade and assiduously sought after 
by the laundryman. 

All the moisture in the bosom must be thoroughly 
dried out before the shirt leaves the bosom-ironer. If 
there is any moisture left it will cause the shirt to have 
a warped and buckled appearance, and it will not be so 
stiff as it would be if it were thoroughly dried out. 

What has been written thus far in regard to bosom 
ironing applies to the Watson type of machine. There 
is an essential difference in the operation of a "Hen- 
rici" machine, because of the fact that the shirt is 
ironed on a portable board. The shirt is put on this 
board independently of the machine, and then the 
board is passed under the hot roll, ironing the surface 
"of the bosom on practically the same principle as on 
the Watson machine, but the handling of the board 
requires greater skill on the part of the operator than 
is required to cause the board on the Watson machine 
to move under the roll. However, with a "Henrici" 



— 136 — 

macliine many tricks can be accomplislieJ, like ironing 
any one portion and not another, or jnniping from one 
end of the bosom to the other, and various other nec- 
essary movements which can not be accomplished on 
machines of the Watson tj'pe. 

It is the usual plan with the Henrici machine to 
have one operator put the shirts on the board, and an- 
other operator run them upder the roll. The one iron- 
ing the shirt removes it from the board when finished, 
while the other operator puts another shirt on another 
board, adjusts the neckband clamp and rings, stretches 
the bosom, and gets it ready for the machine. This 
plan of handling the work renders it possible for the 
machine to be kept in operation almost continuously, 
thus making it feasible to greatly increase its capacity. 

One of the principal advantages claimed by the man- 
ufacturers of this machine is that it will produce a 
correct shape on any size or style of shirt. As the shirt 
is ironed with its bosom, yoke and neckband in their 
proper positions relativG to each other. As sizes change 
they are ironed on different sized boards, thus theoreti- 
cally ironing every shirt correctly to a certainty, if 
the operator is careful to adjust the shirt properly On 
the board. 

The shirt bosom is first drawn over the board, the 
board being inside of the shirt, and the neckband is 
then adjusted to the round cavity in the upper end of 
the board. Into this cavity is placed a brass ring w^hich 
is made to expand outwardly firmly, pressing the neck- 
band against the wall of the cavity, and thus holding the 
neckband in its proper position. This clamps the yoke 
in its natural position. The skirt is then stretched 
and the bosom ironed. 



— 137 — 

Open fronts are ironed in practically the same man- 
ner as has already been described in connection with the 
"Watson type of machine. It is not practical, however, 
to iron nnder the iipper lap on the Henrici machine, 
but this part of the shirt may be finished on the same 
machine that irons the wristbands. 

The makers of the Henrici machine advocate the 
use of a sj^lit felt for ironing open fronts, but the au- 
thor's experience with it has not been entirely satis- 
factory. However, for the benefit of the reader, the 
method of using the split felt will be described. 

A felt of medium thickness is placed over the regu- 
lar covering of the board. This felt is split or divided 
at the line of the edge of the upper half of the open 
front bosom, and it extends downward to the point where 
the bosom is joined together. It is also cut at right 
angles at the point where the neckband joins the bosom, 
and also at the bottom where the bosom is joined to- 
gether, and it extends to the edge of the under lap. 
This will allow the projecting of the under lap under 
the felt, which leaves an all-felt surface on which to 
iron the upper lap, making it possible to iron the upper 
lap and not show a crease. The objection found to 
this plan is that, when the shirt is buttoned, that por- 
tion of the shirt which is under the felt will not be 
finished like the balance of the bosom, and the lap in 
the neckband will vary, and many times cause that 
portion which is not ironed like the rest to show when 
the shirt is finished. 



— 138 



CHAPTEK 15. 

IROIS'ING backs; NECKBANDS AND WRISTBANDS. 

The ironing of the Lacks of shirts is a compara- 
tively simple operation. As little attention may hs 
given to this part of the shirt as, to any other. The 
main object in ironing the back is to absorb the mois- 
ture there may be in it, and to prevent the bosom be- 
coming moistened, as would be the case if the shirt 
were folded with a damp back lying against it. 

The shirt should be drawn on to the covered roll, 
having the bottom of the skirt to the left. The full 
length of the back should then be ironed from the seam 
where it is joined to the front to the opposite seam. 
Care should be given to the manner of keeping the 
facings straight. This is easily done by holding the 
neckband together with the right hand, and pulling 
the shirt taut with the left hand when the roll is pass- 
ing over the facings. 

Backs should be ironed sufficiently to evajoorate all 
the moisture, as it is the same with backs as with every 
other part, that dryness must be the result. Otherwise 
there will be failure in attaining the best results. 

Xeckband ironing is the most difficult and particu- 
lar operation in the whole process of ironing. It re- 
quires greater skill and longer practice than anything 
else, and it is the most difficult operation to describe. 
The only way one can succeed in learning this oper- 
tion is to take what few suggestions may be offered, 
which may serve as a guide in starting, and then per- 



— 139 — 

sistently practice until the knack of ironing the neck- 
band properly is acquired. 

There are two things absolutely essential in ironing 
neckbands. One is to iron a stiff neckband, and the 
other is to make it stand up at its proper angle. Un- 
less a neckband has the proper dampness, and is ironed 
with a great amount of pressure, it will be soft. If 
the bosom is stiif and the neckband soft after it is 
ironed, it is certain that the neckband has not been 
ironed properly. I have knoA\T:i many laundrymen 
having this trouble who thought the cause of it was in 
the starching, while all the time the trouble was in the 
manner in which the neckband was ironed. 

iN'eckbands must necessarily be ironed inside and 
outside. The inside of the neckband must be smooth, 
in order that the shirt may be worn with comfort, and 
the outside must be ironed to show the proper finish. 
So it is doubly difficult to iron the neckband. The 
neckband should be ironed first on the inside, which 
is somewhat easier than ironing the outside. Once 
ironing over is usually sufficient. 

In ironing the inside, commence at the left end 
of the neckband, as the shirt is held up, bosom towards 
the operator. Grasp the neckband firmly with the 
left hand near the end of the neckband, with the right 
hand holding the yoke. Put the end of the neckband 
under the hot iron and apply the pressure. When the 
shirt starts immediataly grasp the lower end of the 
bosom, holding the left hand in the same position as 
at first, the thumb and forefinger acting as a guide to 
direct the course of the neckband, with the forefinger 
as close to the revolving roll as possible. With the 
right hand carry the shirt in such a position as will 



— 140 — 

allow the neckband to travel under the iron without 
running out from under it or the bosom running under, 
and while the neckband is passing through, hold it taut 
with the thumb and finger and apply all the pressure 
possible. Once over is usually sufficient to iron the in- 
side. In case the neckband runs out start it in again 
at the beginning and try it over. After the neckband 
is ironed inside it will be partially turned in, and be- 
fore it is ready to be irc.ned on the outside the neckband 
should be reversed into its proper position. 

To iron the outside connnence at the right end of 
the neckband, or the end opposite to the one first ironed 
when the inside was ironed. Grasp the neckband and 
yoke with tlie hands in the same manner as when 
starting to iron the inside. Immediately after the 
shirt starts, seize hold of the lower end of the bosom 
and, as the shirt moves forward, let the right hand fol- 
low the sweep of the bosom, keejjing it in its right posi- 
tion continuously relative to the neckband, and hold- 
ing the shirt bosom at right angles with the roll. 

When the band first starts in, the right hand will 
be low down near the knees of the operator, and as the 
band is ironed the right hand will travel upward and 
in a circle agreeing with the motion of the neckband, 
always holding the shirt in such a position that the 
bosom will not become broken up. As the last half of 
the neckband is ironed the hand reaches out and passes 
downward in a circle, and when the hand has reached 
to about the level of the neckband ironer it can let go 
of the shirt and allow it to fall down to a perpendicular 
position. Thus it will be seen that the shirt bosom 
has described a complete circle, the face of the bosom 
being at all times at right angles with the roll, causing 



— 141 — 

the neckband to stand up at its proper angle to the 
bosom. The left hand should be held as close to the 
roll as possible. The curvature of the neckband must 
be maintained, and therefore it will not do to allow 
the hand to remain too far away from the roll or to 
guide the neckband into the machine on a horizontal 
line. This would break up the bosom and would ren- 
der it impossible to properly guide the work. 

The difficulty is, of course, that the neckband will 
run out from under the iron or the bosom run under 
the iron. ^STeckbands are quite narrow, and must be 
ironed to an exact line. The bosom has been perfectly 
ironed right up to the seam of the neckband, and if 
the neckband is properly ironed, there will be no un- 
finished portion at the point where the neckband joins 
the bosom, neither will the bosom be broken up in any 
way. 

For the benefit of those who have not mastered 
this part of tliQ ironing the author would advise per- 
sistent practice on work which is not intended to go to 
the trade. It is usually the author's plan to teach new 
operators on work that has to be washed over, for, 
unless the neckband is well ironed, it is not in con- 
dition to send out, and one can not aiford to allow a 
novice to practice on work which has to go to the cus- 
tomer. If a neckband is poorly ironed it can not be 
fixed without washing it over. 

Open-front shirts are harder to iron than open 
backs, although about the same motions have to be 
gone through with. The main difficulty comes, how- 
ever, in ironing the last half of the ojien front neck- 
band, as the operator has to commence at the centre 
of the bosoms, and usually, as this is quite narrow 



— 142 — 

where it joins the bosom, starting it in is much more 
difficult. Always have the iron almost scorching hot. 

It is not a difficult matter to iron a wristband well. 
The i^erson operating this machine need only possess 
moderate ability. About the only thing to do is to 
place the work under the iron, give the machine suf- 
ficient pressure, and guide it through. First iron the 
inside of the wristband, and then the outside. Then 
iron the facings, and, last of all, iron the portion of 
the sleeve where it joins the wristband by having the 
wristband and sleeve drawn well on to the roll. This 
will allow ironing a certain distance on the sleeve, mak- 
ing a smooth finish. The covered roll should not be 
over four inches in diameter when fully covered. If 
it is larger than this, it will be difficult to get the sleeve 
over it. 

Wristbands should be well ironed, as they are usu- 
ally folded up and in sight, and consequently should 
have a good appearance. . Laundrymeii will discover 
that it is more difficult for an operator to iron all the 
wristbands of the shirts that go over one line of ma- 
chines than to iron any other one portion of the shirt, 
with, perhaps, the exception of the sleeve ironers, al- 
though, if the operator gets accustomed to the work, 
it can all be done on one machine. 



— 143 — 



CHAPTER 16. 

BOSOM-FIXING. 

ISTow comes that part of the process which rights 
the shirt into shape, and gives it its character. The 
shirt has received rongh handling np to this time, the 
bosom is broken in many places, caused from having 
been handled, when having the back, neckbands and 
wristbands ironed. The shirt is now put into its 
proper shape, and kept so until finished. 'No operation 
after the bosom-fixing need in any way break up the 
bosom or damage the appearance of the shirt. If 
there is any moisture left in the bosom it is taken 
out here ; if there are any imperfections in the ironing 
they are corrected here, and if the shirt has become 
slightly soiled there is now an opportunity of cleaning 
it, or to do anything else which is needed in correcting 
or fixing up the general appearance of the shirt. 

If the shirt is ironed slightly out of shape on the 
bosom-ironer, it may be corrected here, and the opera- 
tor's first object is to overcome any imperfection in 
shape and endeavor to make the shirt lie flat. The shirt 
is first buttoned, and then drawn on to ^ the bosom- 
fixing board. There is a ring or block placed in the 
neck, which expands the neckband to its full size. If 
the shirt then bulges in the centre, the yoke above the 
bosom should be dam]-»ened, the neckband and ring well 
drawn down on the board, and the yoke-clamp applied. 
The bosom should then be stretched by pulling the 



— 14-4 — 

skirt do^vnward evenly in tlie line of the bosom, and 
while in this position, the clamp that holds the skirt 
should be brought down to secure the shirt in this 
position. This will cause a tension on the bosom and 
the yoke. The whole surface of the bosom should 
next be moistened very slightly. 

The operator should now, take a smooth-faced 
sharp-cornered flat-iron and go over the whole bosom 
slowly, commencing at the centre of the bosom at the 
bottom and moving towards the neckband. After the 
neckband is reached the iron should move outward, 
following the curve of the neckband, and as the iron 
is passing round the neckband, the operator should 
stretch the shirt sideways, carrying all the fulness 
ahead of the iron. When the edge of the bosom has 
been reached, reverse the motion of the iron, and pass 
around to the other side of the neckband, stretching 
the shirt ahead of the iron, as before. 

If the shirt is properly moistened, the iron of the 
right temperature, and if the iron is moved over the 
surface very slowly, it will level all unevenness, and 
shrink out all fulness. For instance, if after the shirt 
is stretched, as has been described, there should be a 
fulness in the centre of the bosom near the neckband, 
by slightly dampening this fulness, passing the iron 
over it slowdy, and stretching the shirt sideways at the 
same time, the fulness will all disappear and the shirt 
lie flat. Unless any such fulness is removed it will 
be impossible to set a good yoke well or get the shirt 
to lay flat when folded. A good operator on a bosom- 
fixing machine can correct quite extreme errors of 
this description. After the bosom has been made to 
lie flat, raise the plaits, and iron under them. Then 
the shirt is ready to pass on to the yoke-setter. 



— Ma- 
in fixing the bosoms of open-front shirts the oper- 
ator has many times to correct the fault of the upper 
lap being longer than the lower lap. Of course, when 
this is tlie case, the upper lap will rise up in the form 
of an arch when the shirt is pulled on the bosom-fixing 
board. This extra length in the upper lap must be 
removed before it will lie flat, and to accomplish this 
result requires considerable skill. The goods in the 
upper lap have simply to be shrunk, and this is ac- 
complished by moistening the upper lap to quite an 
extent, especially where it laps over the imder lap. Care 
must be taken, however, not to get it too wet, or it 
will spoil the api:)earance of the bosom. 

Take the flat-iron in the right hand, and commence 
at the bottom of the b(>som, on the edge of the upper 
lap. With the left hand press the bosom down, and 
with the fingers and thumb extended, distribute the 
unevenness into equal parts, holding it in that position 
while the iron is raised slightly at the point, moved 
forward, and the uneven surface under the iron pressed 
down. Then, holding the other uneven surfaces in 
their proper position with the fingers, gradually work 
up the bosom, covering each uneven surface, and press- 
ing it down, until the neckband has been reached. It 
will then be found that all the fullness in the bosom 
has been shrunken out. 

One can not start with the iron and push it over 
the surface. If he does, the iron will simply press 
the fulness ahead of it and by the time the neckband 
is reached there will be so much fulness, that if it is 
then ironed do^vn, it will produce a large wrinkle. 
Each forward motion of the iron should be accompa- 
nied by a slight raise of the forward edge, keeping the 



— 14(j — 

heel of the iron well pressed down on the bosom, and 
with the hand ahead of the iron holding- the bosom so 
it can not slip. The bosom being slightly moist when 
the iron is brought down, the material will shrink to- 
gether, and thus the fulness will be taken up. 

Open-front shirts that are caught in the neckband 
will have to be finished under the lap on the bosom- 
fixing; table. This is done with the flat-iron before the 
shirt is drawn down on the board. It is a simple mat- 
ter to do this. The shirt is placed on the board, the 
upper lap raised up, the point of the iron inserted be- 
tween the laps, and the unironed portion of the surface 
of the under lap is then easily ironed. After this pro- 
ceed as described before. 

To do good work in bosom-fixing, the iron should be 
very hot and just below the scorching point. It is im- 
possible to do this work as described, with a cold iron. 
It is usually the authoi''s plan to have a gas stove for 
a single iron on the bosom-fixing table, located on the 
opposite side of the table from the operator, and con- 
venient to the work. The author uses one iron only, 
and has it over the flame during the time the operator 
is changing the work. He has the blaze just high 
enough to keep the iron at the right temperature all 
the while. Each time, before the iron is placed on the 
shirt, it should be rubbed over a cloth having a little 
wax on it, in order to prevent it from sticking to the 
bosom. A beveled edge iron is of no use for this kind 
of work. It requires a sharp edge in order that the 
angle, where the neckband joins the bosom, may be 
ironed. 



— 147 



CHAPTEE 17. 

YOKE-SETTING. 

The yoke-setting inacliine is an ungainly thing to 
work with. It is a ditticult matter for a beginner to 
control the motion of the iron and the pressure. This 
machine is not operated by power, but is merely a sort 
of tool for ironing the yokes. It has sufficient pressure 
to thoroughly set the plies of cloth together, so that 
when the yokes are finished they adhere to each other 
and form a solid piece of goods which does not break 
nor blister when the shirt is folded. 

After the bosom has been properly shaped on the 
bosom-fixing table it is laid flat on its back on the yoke- 
setting machine. A ring is put in the neck and the 
yokes folded to the line, which the shaj)e of the shirt 
naturally indicates. The operator then takes hold of 
the handle of the heated iron having the sharp edge 
of the iron pointed in the direction of the wrist, and 
with the left foot on the treadle raises the iron. The 
iron is then swung to the point on the shirt where the 
bosom joins the yoke, having the sharp edge of the 
iron close against the neckband. Then the iron is 
moved slowly towards the top of the shirt, following 
the curve of the neckband. 

After the iron has been passed to the top of the 
yoke it is pushed from the neckband towards the shoul- 
der seam, ironing the front of the yoke and sticking 
it to the back. After this is done the iron is passed 



— 148 — 

up and down on the side of the shirt next to the bosom, 
firmly sticking the front and back together. 

The operation just described is usually done first 
on the left side of the shirt. After it is finished the 
iron is swung around to the light side and placed at 
the line where the bosom joins the yoke. It is next 
moved upward and around the neckband, as has been 
previously described, the motions, however, being re- 
versed. Pressure is applied to the iron by allowing 
the foot to rise and thus let the weight of the machine 
down on the iron. The degree of pressure is regulated 
by the foot and is worked in unison with the motion of 
the hand. The successful setting of a yoke depends 
on the nicety of the pressure and the proper movement 
of the iron. At no time should the iron be moved 
rapidly. In fact, the slower it is moved the better will 
be the work done. 

The work must be properly sponged and dampened ; 
it must not be too wet, yet it must have moisture enough 
so that when the iron is passed over slowly and with 
sufficient pressure the yoke will become thoroughly stuck 
together. Unless the yoke is so stuck together, a per- 
fect fold can not be obtained, as it will break up and be- 
come soft and the slightest amount of handling will 
cause it to be mussed. There must, of course, be suffi- 
cient starch in the yoke to make this possible ; otherwise 
one might iron it as carefully as can be and yet not get 
a stiff yoke or one that is stuciv together. 

It is desiral)le, in order to get a good fold, to stick 
the sides of the shirt together at the edges of the bosom. 
This will make a firm sul)stance through which to form 
the side creases when folding, and it enables one to fold 
a shirt compactly, making it into a firm and flat pack- 



— 149 — 

age. The iron of a joke setter must be quite hot, near- 
ly to the scorching point, and it should never be allowed 
to remain on the shirt without being in motion. The 
iron may be hot enough to scorch should it be at rest, 
yet will not scorch if it is slightly in motion. The 
bosom fixing and yoke setting has now given shape and 
character to the shirt. The proper appearance of the 
shirt depends largely on the correct operation of the 
bosom fixing and yoke setting. After the shirt leaves 
the yoke setting machine its character has been fixed, 
and it now remains only to iron the sleeves and body, 
which operations do not particularly add to or detract 
from the general appearance of the shirt, although 
of course they should be done well in order to produce 
a high class product of laundry work. 



— 150 — 

CHAPTER 18. 

SLEEVE AND BODY IRONING. 

In ironing sleeves and bodies, care should be taken in 
handling the work in order that the bosom or the yoke 
may not in any way be broken up, as this would destroy 
the good work of the bosom fixing and yoke setting oper- 
ations. After the yoke has been set the shirt should 
carefully be placed on a rack in the proper position in 
order to allow the shirt to remain in the same sha23e as it 
was when it came from the yoke setter. The sleeve iron- 
ing operator now takes the shirt carefully with the left 
hand holding the left yoke and the right hand holding 
the edge of the body near the bottom of the bosom. 
In this position the body of the shirt is held edgeways 
with the bosom opposite the operator. In this j^osition 
it is carried between the covered roll and the revolv- 
ing heated roll of the sleeve ironer. The yoke end of the 
shirt is at the left and nearest to the body of the ma- 
chine. 

Pressure is then applied which brings the shirt in 
contact with the revolving heated roll near the edge 
of the bosom and parallel witli it. The ironing move- 
ment is from this line towards the edge of the shirt 
and in the direction of the sleeve. That portion of the 
shirt at the side of the bosom and extending to the 
edge, should be thoroughly ironed as far as the bottom 
of the bosom before the sleeve is ironed. 

After this is done, the ironing motion continues 
down the sleeve to the wristband, and while the sleeve 



— 151 — 

is beina: ironed, the left hand should be inserted within 
the sleeve and the fingers extended, in order that the 
sleeve may be ironed as wide as jiossible. At the same 
time press with the right hand outside the sleeve and 
against the left hand which is inside the sleeve, thus 
holding it taut as it passes under the revolving roll. 
After thoroughly ironing this side of the sleeve let it 
pass between the rolls, releasing the pressure when it 
comes to the wristband, in order to avoid crushing the 
wris^and. Then on the opposite side of the same 
sleeve start to iron at the wristband, ironing up the 
sleeve to the body of the shirt. 

To iron the other sleeve, withdraw the shirt from 
between the rolls, in order to avoid crushing the neck- 
band, and then bring it back between the rolls without 
changing the position of the shirt. Have it pass only 
far enough along so that the neckband and the bosom 
are at the other side of the rolls. Then commence to 
iron the sleeve at the point where it joins the back of 
the shirt, extending downward towards the wristband, 
at the same time holding the sleeve, as has already 
been described. 

After the sleeve has been ironed as far as the wrist- 
band commence to iron the other side of the sleeve, 
beginning at the wristband and passing towards the 
body of the shirt. In this way you iron up the sleeve 
as far as the body of the shirt, passing on to the body 
and ending the operation on the front of the shirt near 
the edge of the bosom, on the side opposite to where 
the ironing of this part was started. These move- 
ments iron both sides of the sleeves and the part of 
the shirt in the front at the side of the bosom, do^vn as 
far as the bosom extends. 



— 152 — 

The shirt is now completely ironed excepting the 
front of the skirt extending from the bottom of tha 
bosom downward. The ironing of this portion of the 
shirt is a comparatively simple operation. The shirt 
is placed on the body ironer with the back on the apron, 
pressure is applied, and the shirt is brought in contact 
with the heated roll at the bottom of the bosom. As 
the shirt moves forward the operator holds it taut and 
carefully adjusts the folds of the skirt so that there 
may be no wrinkles in front of the shirt in a space 
as wide as the bosom. If this is done no wrinkles 
appear in the skirt wdien the shirt is folded. All the 
fulness, if any, should be brought to the edges and 
ironed dow^n where it will not be seen. If the shirt 
has a tab, the second time the iron passes over the skirt 
the tab should be raised and that portion under the 
tab ironed. The shirt has now been entirely ironed, 
and nothing remains but to fold it. This will be the 
next operation described. 



— 153 — 



CHAPTER 19. 



FOLDING SHIRTS. 



The general appearance of a shirt largely depends 
on the manner in which it is folded. This may seem 
to be a very unimportant operation, but it is one equally 
as important as any other, and great care should be 
used in performing this part of the work. 

The folder should be provided with a hot iron and 
a clean sponge cloth, as it will be found necessary, 
many times to remove slightly soiled spots and reirou 
any little portions which may not have been completely 
ironed by the machines. 

The folder should be provided with a small pad 
of felt which may be slipped into the shirt to form a 
surface on which to press the bosom, should it be nec- 
essary to reiron any portion of it. The iron should 
have a smooth face and square edges, the polishing 
iron usually being employed. 

There should be a small, round block attached to 
the edge of the table and projecting about an inch 
beyond the edge, and this block should be covered with 
felt and cloth. The block is used, when necessary, 
to reiron the neckband. The shirt is held in such a 
position that the block is wuthin the neckband, and 
then it is easy to iron the outer surface by passing 
the iron around the block in contact with the neckband. 

After every imperfection has been corrected, the 
shirt is laid flat, bosom up, and a crease is formed 



— 154 — 

along the bosom, continuing down the full length of 
the shirt on the left tide by taking hold of the shirt 
at the left yoke with the left hand, and the bottom of the 
skirt with the right hand. Then raise the shirt up, 
and swing the sleeve and the side back under the 
bosom. ]^ext, lay the shirt again on the table, crease 
the yoke in the line of the bosom and hold the shirt 
in position with the left hand. With the right hand 
press down the bosom and form the crease close to the 
edge of the bosom. JSText, jDass the hand the full length 
of the shirt. 

After this has been done, run a hot iron 'the full 
length' of the crease. Then, with the left hand, take 
hold of the right yoke and with the right hand take 
hold of the lower end of the skirt. Again raise the 
shirt and form the crease on the right side of the bosom, 
and, throwing the sleeve and side back under the bosom, 
pass the iron over the crease as before. Care should 
be taken to run these creases in straight lines close to 
the edge of the bosom and nearly parallel, the full 
length of the shirt. The lines, however, extending 
down the skirt of the shirt should incline slightly to- 
wards each other. This will prevent the back of the 
shirt when folded from being any wider than the bosom. 

After these two lines have been formed, the shirt 
is turned over and laid on the table with the bosom 
downward. The sleeves are next laid parallel to the 
line extending down the shirt. The crease of the 
sleeve should be formed at the yoke, commencing at a 
point about two inches from the line of the bosom. 
This will throw a crease diagonally across the sleeve 
at about an angle of forty-five degrees, and this crease 
should be ironed down with a hot iron. Then the 



— 155 — 

sleeve should be folded with the wristbands laid about 
three inches from the top of the shirt, making a crease 
in the slevee about midway between the shoulder and 
the wristband. One wristband should be folded a little 
higher than the other in order that they may not 
form too great a bunch in the shirt. 

All the creases having now been formed the shirt 
is ready to fold. The next operation is to turn in the 
outer edges of the shirt and fold over the whole side 
of the shirt next to the operator, keeping the sleeve in 
its relative position. When this is done fold over the 
opposite side. The shirt is now folded, forming a 
package the full length of the shirt and as wide as the 
bosom. The bottom of the skirt is next turned in 
and creased with an iron, folding it upward and over 
the back of the shirt, making a crease at the bottom of 
the bosom. I*^ow pin the skirt to the back of the shirt, 
and the operation of folding is finished. If this oper- 
ation is carried oiit faithfully, it will produce a flat, 
compact package having straight lines and regular 
angles. 

The main point in folding a shirt is to have it snug 
and compact, and this is done by making the creases 
in the proper places and using an iron to make the 
creases permanent. Much care must be given to these 
details or the effects of good ironing will be lost in 
the bad appearance of folding. 

After the shirt is folded it should be laid on its 
back and carefully pressed all over with an iron, when 
it is ready for the examining room. 



— 156 — 



CHAPTEK 20. 

THE EXAMINING ROOM. 

Shirts are taken from the folders to the examining 
room and inspected, and those that are perfect are 
passed on to the boxing room, while those that are not 
right are either fixed or Avashed over. Many times the 
examiner is able to clean some portion of the shirt 
and make it passable, and there are other shirts that 
■may be made all right by having them retouched or 
cleaned by someone who is trained to do this class of 
work. In every well-regulated laundry it is customary 
to have some one person who is an adept at this class 
of business. He is usually known as the "cleaner," 
and one who is an exjDert at fixing up a doubtful shirt 
is a valuable person to have in a laundry, as he will save 
his wages many times over in the amount of goods 
saved from relaundering. An operator of this sort 
requires quite an extensive paraphernalia. He should 
have an ironing-table, sponge cloths, flat-irons, a bar 
of soap, a bottle of bleach, a bottle of acid, and the 
various liquids necessary to the cleaner's art. 

Of course there will be many shirts that are so 
soiled or poorly ironed that they will have to be washed 
over. These shirts should be sent directly to the wash- 
room, and should be Avashed before everything else, 
and relaundered in preference to any other work, as 
a lot of shirts can not be shipped until the washovers 
come through. 



— 157 — 

Great care should be given to wasliovers in order 
that they may not have to be washed over a second 
time, for any small number of shirts in a lot that 
have to be returned to the washroom will delay the 
shipment of the entire lot. Therefore it is necessary 
to make a special effort to organize a quick system in 
relaundering washovers. 




Fie. 47, TROY EYELET RAISEK. 

(Troy Laundry Machinery Co.) 



The inspector will frequently find shirts which 
need repairing. These should also be attended to 
promptly in order that they may get through in time 
and not delay the lot. Usually a shirt which has to 
be repaired must be relaundered, and it should be re- 
paired in time to be relaundered with the washovers. 

The examining table should be provided with an 
eyelet raiser, and the shirts that are passed should 



— 158 — 

have the eyelets raised and then passed on to the assort- 
ing racks. 

There are several makes of eyelet raisers, hut the 
kind recommended for large quantities of new work 
are those which are attached to the table and oj^erated. 
with a lever. A machine of this kind is the Troy 
eyelet raiser, shown in Fig. -±7. 



— 159 — 



CHAPTEK 21. 

BOXING. 

After the shirts are examined they are ready for 
boxing. There are various methods of handling the work 
in this department, but the most modern and approved 
plan is to have pigeonholes arranged on a table. These 
pigeonholes are open at both ends to allow the shirts 
to be put in from the examining table at one side and 
taken out by the one who boxes the shirts at the other 
side. They should be arranged three tiers high, run- 
ning from sizes twelve to eighteen. If white shirts 
are coming through, only two tiers are required, one 
tier for box plait and the other tier for French plaits ; 
but if colored shirts are arranged for, then three tiers 
are required, as colored shirts usually run in three 
colors of the same pattern. 

In sorting white shirts, each size is put in the 
pigeonhole by itself, the box plait in one tier and the 
French ]dait in the other. The boxer on the other 
side of the rack pulls the shirts out of the pigeonholes 
and l)oxes them, usually putting three French plaits 
and three box plaits in a box, then stamps the box to 
show what it contains. If he is boxing colored shirts, 
two shirts of the same color are put in a box. In the 
boxing of open-front white shirts no distinction is made 
except in sizes. 

If collars and cuffs are packed with the colored 
shirts, it is necessary to open the boxes and insert the 



— 160 — 

proper size collars to match the shirts. The collars are 
usuallj tied to the neckbands of the shirts to which they 
belong, and the cull's are slipjDed into the bosom through 
the neck-opening. 

The process of laundering new shirts has now been 
described from the time they start from the washroom 
until they are boxed, and the method described in iron- 
ing is that in which machines are used, this being the 
most popular and economical method. For those who 
would desire- to use them, other methods will be de- 
scribed in the following chapters. 



— 161 — 



CHAPTER 22. 

IRONING SHIRTS PARTLY BY MACHINERY AND FINISH- 
ING BY HAND. 

This plan of ironing shirts is to use the machinery 
in the same manner as when ironing entirely by ma- 
chinery, until the shirt reaches the bosom-fixing table. 
The inside yoke, the bosom, the neckband, and the 
wristbands are ironed by machinery, and the balance 
of the shirt is finished by hand with the flat-iron. 

The finishing is done on a table having a project- 
ing bosom-board clamp and stretcher similar to the 
bosom-fixing table; in fact, the bosom should receive 
the same treatment on this table as it receives on the 
bosom-fixing table. The back of the shirt is ironed 
Avith the flat-iron, by folding it down the center of the 
back, and ironing each side of the fold. Afterwards 
the sleeves are ironed, then the yoke is set ; next, the 
front skirt is ironed, and the shirt is ready for folding. 

This plan of ironing is well adapted for a flne 
grade of shirt, and it is considerably more economical 
than ironing the shirt entirely by hand. It produces 
a fine, soft finish on the body of the shirt, and makes 
the garment very comfortable to wear. It is not as 
firm and compact as when ironed entirely by machinery, 
and it will not stand handling and preserve its appear- 
ance as well as a machine-ironed shirt. One of the 
advantages of this plan is that so much money need 
not be invested in machinery, and one starting a new 



— 162 — 

business in this way is not compelled to go to the ex- 
pense of a fully equipped plant. It possesses the ad- 
vantage of producing the work at a comparatively low 
cost, without too great an outlay. 

It is quite important to finish the shirt as soon as 
possible after it has been ironed by the machines. In 
order to do good hand ironing, the goods must be 
thoroughly dampened, and if shirts are allowed to re- 
main too long in the air, they will dry to such an extent 
that it will be impossible to iron the bodies well by hand. 

To sponge a dry piece of goods and then attempt 
to iron it usually results unsatisfactorily, and there- 
fore it is necessary to iron the bodies and finish the 
shirt immediately after it has come from the machines. 
The folding in this process is the same as has already 
been described. 



163 — 



CHAPTER 23. 



nAND moisriNG. 



It is a difficult matter to exj)laiii how to iron a shirt 
by hand. It is a knack which can only be acquired 
by j^ractice, and an operator can become skilled only 
by long practice. One who irons a shirt by hand may 
put his own individuality into his work, as no one has 
anything to do with the ironing of the shirt but the 
operator himself. He dampens his own work, and 
finishes it complete. He is responsible for ironing 
every part of the garment. 

It requires a great amount of intelligence, good 
judgment, and long practice to become a skilled hand 
ironer. One can not acquire it in a short time, or 
pick it up by seeing someone else do it. It is a trade 
complete in itself, and reflects as much credit on the 
workman who does it well as does any other trade 
with which the author is familiar. Therefore no more 
can be done than to merely state the manner in which 
the shirt is ironed, and the process through which it 
goes, step by step, until finished. 

The ironer usually takes as many shirts as he thinks 
he can iron in one day and dampens them to suit him- 
self. Some ironers require work damper than others ; 
no ironer would be satisfied with another's dampening. 

Work that is to be ironed by hand requires to hi 
damper than when it is to be ironed by machine. In fact, 
it must be so damp that it will be soft, and the plies 



— 164 - 

of the goods must be in a pliable condition, so that 
they may be easily separated and the wrinkles easily 
removed. 

Hand-ironers usually dampen their work by sprink- 
ling it. They then roll each shirt into a tight, compact 
package and closely pack them all together in the small 
dampening boxes, which are a usual adjunct to an iron- 
ing table. It is connnon to have a cover which fits in- 
side of this box, and after the shirts are dampened and 
packed away, a cloth is laid over them, the cover placed 
on top of the cloth and pressed firmly down. The cover 
is held in position by any sort of a weight. It is a com- 
mon thing in a factory, where work is ironed by hand, 
to see heavy stones lying around, wdiicli the ironers use 
for weights in pressing down these covers, while the 
shirts are being dampened. The goods are allowed to 
lie in this condition over night, when in the morning 
they are ready for the ironer's artistic work. 

A hand ironer is equipped with an ironing table — 
such as has already been described in Chapter 11 — a 
polishing iron, a flat iron, a basin of water, a sponge 
cloth, and a plait-raiser. With these, a small piece 
of wax, and a means for heating his iron he is ready for 
business. Hence it may be seen that it does not cost 
much to fit up for hand ironing. The first thing to be 
ironed on a shirt is the neckband. This is ironed with 
a polishing iron. It is drawn out and laid flat on the 
table, the body of the shirt being placed on the back 
of the table, with the neck band near the front edge and 
nearest the operator. 

The inside is ironed first, and then it is turned over 
and finished on the outside. When finishing the out- 
side a great amount of pressure is required in order to 



— 165 — 

get a stiff neckband. The operator must put his whole 
weight on liis iron, and use a great amount of ''elbow 
urease." The neckband is usually ironed first because 
it requires a very hot iron, and should one attempt to 
iron any other portion of the shirt and then try to iron 
the neckband, the neckband would be soft, owing to 
insufficient heat in the iron. 

A hand ironer must study to keep his irons at the 
right temperature, and yet work fast, and this is done 
by ironing those parts first which require the hottest 
iron, and those parts last which require less heat. He 
must also plan to have one iron heating while the other 
is being used, and as he has only two irons — the polish- 
ing-iron and the flat-iron — he must have them always 
ready, and not wait for them to heat. 

When he starts in, he heats his polishing iron first, 
and wliile using that allows his flat-iron to become heated 
and, as already stated, he irons the neckband first. Next 
he irons the inside yoke with the same polishing-iron. 

After the neckband and inside yoke are ironed, the 
neckband is buttoned, and the shirt drawn over the 
bosom-board. A ring is placed in the neckband, and 
the shirt drawn down in a manner similar to the way 
in which it is handled on the bosom-fixing table. It 
is, however, stretched sufliciently to remove any wrin- 
kles, which may be done by stretching it lengthways. 
It is then clamped in position. The operator now, by 
means of a plait-raiser, and by stretching the bosom 
sideways, removes all the wrinkles in the bosom, leav- 
ing it in a perfect condition to be ironed. During the 
time it has taken to effect this operation the flat-iron 
has become heated sufficiently to do its work. If it 
has become overheated it must be cooled in a basin of 
water before it may be used. 



— IGG — 

After the flat-iron has been removed from the fire 
tlie polishing-iron is placed on the fire to be reheated. 
The oi^erator now irons over the bosom carefully with 
the flat-iron, nsing sufficient pressure to press the plies 
together, and to dry the bosom out. During this oper- 
ation the iron is moved very slowly and carefully. 
This j)rocess simply dries the shirt, producing very 
little finish. After the shirt has been sufficiently dried 
it is then gone over very thoroughly with the polishing- 
iron. Wlie7i the bosom has been dried out with the 
flat-iron it should be slightly redampened with a sponge 
cloth and ironed again with a polishing-iron. When 
the polishing-iron is being used the operator should 
employ a great deal of pressure and go over the surface 
very rapidly. This will give the finish required, and 
the proper amount of polish is obtained by ironing the 
bosom on a hard surface with the polishing-iron. Hand 
ironers usually have a soft felt which they slip under 
the bosom when using the flat-iron, and after the bosom 
is set and dried the felt is removed, leaving a harder 
surface on which to polish the bosom. 

Open-front shirts are placed on the bosom board 
wuth neckband buttoned and the shirt stretched and 
clamped in its natural position, the upper half of the 
bosom lapping over the lower half. When the upper 
half is ironed a felt is usually slipped under it in order 
that one-half of the bosom may be ironed without a 
crease. The shirt is then unbuttoned at the neck and 
the under lap is ironed. After tliis the shirt is again 
buttoned and the bosom polished in the same manner 
as has already been described, with this exception, that 
a piece of metal covered with cloth is slipped under the 
upper half of the bosom, affording a hard surface on 



— 167 — 

which to iron and polish the upper half without show- 
ing the imjjression of the lower 'half. 

The stillness of a bosom depends on the way in 
which it is ironed. If the first operation — that is, 
drying the bosom out — is not done properly, the bosom 
will be soft. The iron must be very hut, almost at 
scorching heat, and shoidd be moved over the bosom 
slowly with all the pressure that can be applied. Soft 
and blistered w^ork usually results from the use of a 
cold iron, and it should be understood always that an 
iron should never be moved rapidly when drying a 
bosom. The conditions change when it is being pol- 
ished. Then friction is required to produce the de- 
sired result, and, as the bosom has already been dried, 
there will be no bad results from moving the polishing- 
iron rapidly, although this iron must be very hot, as 
well as the other. After the bosom has been ironed 
the shirt is then finished, as has been described in ChajD- 
ter 22. 

In a great many well-regulated laundries are found 
hand ironers employed in machine operating plants. 
The reason for this generally is that the proprietor has 
peculiar makes of shirts which can not be ironed by 
a machine. Many times hand ironers are employed to 
iron samples, and all work which can not be ironed 
practically by machinery, such as shirts with collars 
attached, embroidered fronts or any other styles which 
require special attention. 



168 — 



CHAPTER 24. 

LAUNDERING NEGLIGEE WORK. 

The methods of laundering stiff-bosom shirts have 
been described already, but as yet nothing has been 
said regarding the laundering of negligee shirts, and 
the term negligee, in this instance, will be applied to 
all such shirts as do not have a stiff bosom ; for ex- 
ample, Madras and percale made into the common 
negligee shirts, the puff bosom, and the shirt having 
a soft bosom made either of silk or Madras. During 
the past few seasons there have been a large number of 
the last-mentioned shirts manufactured, and as this 
shirt promises to remain in fashion for a considerable 
time, the method of laundering it should be described. 

This shirt is usually made with a laundered neck- 
band; that is, the neckband is laundered before it is 
sewed to the shirt. In better grades of this make of 
shirt the wristband is also laundered. It has a white 
body and a colored, fancy bosom, usually made of some 
silk material. There is no washing required on this 
shirt. It is necessary only to iron it. Therefore it 
need not go into the starchroom or be hung in the dry- 
room. The parts that are to be ironed are slightly 
moistened, preferably with raw rice starch-water. The 
neckband should be slightly dampened and run through 
a neckband ironer, as the neckbands become more or 
less bent and "broken up" during the process of manu- 
facturing the shirt. The neckband ironer will freshen 



— 1G9 — 

them up and also close the stitching, which shows quite 
plainly on a laundered neckband. 

It is not practical to launder this neckband on the 
shirt, but as it is unnecessary to wash the body or the 
bosom, it would not be possible to have a good-looking 
neckband if it were not washed. If the neckband is 
colored, then it is a comparatively easy matter to laun- 
der it on the shirt. 

After the neckband has been ironed the yoke should 
be slightly moistened on each side and ironed with a 
polishing-iron, then the bosom and neckband are but- 
toned, a ring placed in the neckband and the shirt laid 
flat on the table on which it is to be ironed. 

The table for ironing negligee shirts is not of the 
same construction as the one required to iron stiff 
bosoms. It requires no bosom board, for the reason 
that the shirt is ironed flat, having nothing inside of 
it. The plan recommended for such a table is one 
which has a clamp arranged on one end for se- 
curely holding the yokes in position to allow of stretch- 
ing the shirt. This clamp extends across the entire 
end of the table and is curved in the centre in con- 
formity with the shape of the top of the shirt. The 
clamp may be arranged to operate by means of a lever 
which, when pressed down, holds the yoke firmly to 
the talde. There should be a small hook on the inner 
edge of the clamp wdiich engages the neckband ring 
and holds the neckband in position when the clamp is 
pressed down. 

When the shirt is laid on the table it should be 
dampened slightly with starch-water on the yokes and 
the front. Then it should be placed in position and the 
clamp pressed down. The operator stretches the shirt 



— 170 — 

and takes all fulness out of the front, holding it in 
this position by pressing the left forearm down on the 
shirt, the arm extending at right angles with the shirt. 
While the shirt is being held in this position the oper- 
ator irons the front, covering the bosom and the sides, 
and during the whole operation of ironing the front, 
he should not remove his arm from the shirt. A clamp 
arrangement to hold a shirt taut is a good thing, but 
it takes considerable time to operate it, and therefore 
the plan to do without it by using the arm is recom- 
mended. After the operator has become accustomed 
to holding a shirt in this manner it will be found com- 
j^aratively easy and rapid. After the front of the shirt 
has been ironed the clamp is raised and the yokes set ; 
then the bottom of the skirts are finished, and the shirt 
is ready to be folded. 

The method of folding soft shirts is essentially dif- 
ferent from that employed for stiff bosoms. As there 
is no bosom to hold the shirt in shape, some rigid sub- 
stance must be supplied upon which to form it. A 
thin board beveled at the edges made of the size and 
length which the shirt is required to be when folded 
is generally used. It is a good plan to arrange folding 
tables independent of the ironing-table and to have the 
board upon which the shirt is folded hinged to the table. 

A table should be cut out at the extreme end di- 
rectly central with the folding board. This cutout 
in the table admits the neckband when the shirt is laid 
on the table with the front do^\m. The neckband is 
placed in this opening and held in its proper position 
for folding by bringing the hinged folding board on 
the back of the shirt; the shirt is then folded over the 
board in similar lines to the folding of stiff bosoms, 
which has been alreadv described. 



— 171 — 

The pinning of the shirt is the same as the pin- 
ning of a stiff bosom, except that an extra pin is placed 
in the back of the shirt to hold the yokes in position. 
Care must be taken to have the shirt folded centrally, 
and it is necessary, before removing the shirt from the 
board, to see that it is central. After the shirt has 
been folded and pinned, the board is raised and the 
shirt drawn off of it. It is unnecessary to iron the 
sleeves or the back of the shirt on any of this negligee 
work which is not required to be washed. 

There is another kind of shirt which is made in a 
similar manner to the one already described, with the 
excej^tion that it has what is commonly called a puff 
bosom. This bosom is gathered at the top and at the 
bottom, leaving a large amount of fulness in the front. 
Many of the better grades of these shirts being made 
of white material, they require washing, and should 
be washed just as any white shirt. When they are 
washed it is necessary to fully launder them; that is, 
send them through the entire process. 

The neckbands and wristbands must be carefully 
starched to prevent any starch getting on the bosom. 
The shirt is then dried and dampened and afterwards 
ironed throughout. The bosom may be nicely ironed 
on wdiat is known as the ladies' sleeve ironer. This 
is usually an egg-shaped iron heated by steam or gas. 
The bosom is drawn over this heated surface and, as 
it is made of a very thin material, it is dried and 
ironed very rapidly. The inside yoke is ironed by 
hand, the neck and wristbands ironed by machines, 
the sleeves usually ironed by machines, and then the 
shirt is ironed on a flat table having a yoke clamp, as 
already described. The folding is the same as with 
other negligee shirts. 



— 172 — 

The cheaper grade of puff bosoms and those that 
are made of white material having laundered neck- 
bands are not washed. This shirt is handled in prac- 
tically the same manner as the one first described, 
except that the bosom is slightly moistened and ironed 
on the puff ironer. 

Madras and percale negligee shirts are usually made 
with an unlaundered neckband. These shirts are not 
washed, but it is necessary to starch the neckband and 
wristbands. It is a delicate matter to starch a neck- 
band on a shirt and not get starch on the front of the 
shirt. In fact, it is almost impossible to starch the 
neckband and keep the front clear of starch, without 
having some device to keep the starch from getting on 
the front. Some sort of arrangement has been sug- 
gested on which there is a protector which will prevent 
starch getting beyond a certain line. The author has 
a crude arrangement which fills the bill. It has the 
appearance of a miniature guillotine. The ''knife" 
has a straight edge which is brought in contact with 
the goods by means of a foot lever connected to it. 
The shirt is laid at the back of this contrivance and 
the knife is brought doAvn and forms the dividing 
line between the neckband and the front of the shirt. 
Under the shirt is a piece of felt which allows the knife 
to press the goods into its soft surface, thus preventing 
the possibility of starch getting back of the knife on 
the front. While the neckband is in this position it 
may easily be starched by hand. As Madras and per- 
cale absorb the starch very easily, the wristbands are 
starched at ihe same time and the shirt dried. 

This grade of goods requires no dampening pre- 
vious to ironing, for it is possible to iron the neckbands 



— 173 — 

and wristbands well bj simply dampening them with 
a sponge cloth at the time of ironing. The goods are 
so soft and loosely woven that the moisture quickly 
j^enetrates them and puts them in a condition to be 
ironed at once. After the ironing has been done the 
shirt is finished according to the method described in 
a j^revious chapter. 



174 



CHAPTER 25. 

COLLAR AND CUFF IRONING. 

There are a great many machines manufactured 
for ironing collars and cuifs, and about all of them 
contain the same j^rinciple of ironing; that is, a re- 
volving heated roll, running in contact with a revolv- 
ing jiadded roll, the essential difference between the 
various machines of this character being only in the 
application of the principle. Some manufacturers 
use springs, while others use weights for pressure. 
Machines of smaller capacity are quite simple in con- 
struction, while those of greater capacity are more 
complex. 

The better grades of machines are constructed in 
such a manner that the heated roll may be made to 
travel at several rates of speed, thus producing differ- 
ent grades of finish. Domestic finish, medium gloss 
and high gloss may usually be produced on the modern 
collar ironer by simply shifting gears. The faster the 
hot roll revolves — the padded roll revolves at the same 
rate of speed at all times — the greater will be the 
gloss produced. Machines of the largest capacity are 
so constructed that they will iron the goods, when prop- 
erly dampened, in one passage through the machine. 
They usually iron the collar or cuff once on the wrong- 
side and twice on the right side by a single passage 
through. 

This class of machines has generally three heated 



— 175 — 




Fig. 43. MONARCH COLLAR AND CtTFF IRONER. 

(Adams Laundry Machinery Co.) 



— 176 — 

rolls and two padded rolls. In the first set of rolls 
one hot roll runs in contact with one j^added roll, the 
padded roll being on top, or above, the heated roll. The 
goods are then carried from tliese to the other rolls. 
The second set of rolls consists of one padded roll and 
two heated rolls running in contact with it, the heated 
rolls being above the padded roll. Thus it will be 
seen that as the goods pass through the machine they 
receive the ironing action once on one side and twice 
on the other. 

This type of machine is represented in the Adams 
Laundry Machinery Co.'s Sharp's Monarch, Fig. 48, 
the Troy Laundry Machinery Co.'s ISTo, 5, Fig. 49, 
and the American Laundry ^Machinery Co.'s Mammoth 
is shown in Fig. 50. These machines differ only in 
construction. 

It is claimed by the manufacturers of these ma- 
chines that they will iron two thousand dozen collars 
or cuffs in ten hours. These machines have elaborate 
chain gears by which almost any finish desired may be 
obtained. The pressure is applied by weights and 
may readily be increased or decreased simply by adding 
weights to, or taking weights away from, the pressure 
levers. They are also constructed so as to be quickly 
thrown out of gear in case of accident, or the pressure 
quickly removed. 

Another style of collar-ironer is represented in the 
Adams II, Fig. ,51, or the Columbia, Fig. 52, and 
the Troy Xo. 6, Fig. 53. This type has a revolving 
heated roll between two revolving padded rolls and in 
contact with them. The goods are fed between the 
upper revolving padded roll and the heated roll, and re- 
turn between the lower revolving padded roll and the 



— 177 




Fig. 49. TROY No. 5 COI^LAR AND CUFF IRONER. 
(Troy Laundry Machinery Co.) 



178 




Fig. 50. MAMMOTH COLLAR AND CUFF IRONKR. 
(American Laundry Machinery Co.) 



— 179 — 

heated roll, thus making one heated roll do all the 
ironing. Seven hundred dozen pieces per day is about 
the capacity of these machines, and they do very nice 
work. In these machines the jDressure is also applied 
by weights, and they are so geared that several different 
finishes may be j)roduced. 

Collar-ironing machines of lesser capacity than those 
already described, are those having one heated roll and 
one padded roll. This type of machine is represented 
by the Nelson & Kreuter tegular collar-ironer. Fig. 
54. This machine has a padded roll above the heated 
roll, and a return apron, which carries the work back 
to the operator after it has been passed through. It 
is an excellent machine of medium capacity, and is used 
extensively in the custom laundries. The pressure in 
this style of machine is usually applied by springs or 
screws. It is built for the purpose of producing high 
gloss, and while domestic finish may be obtained, ma- 
chine is designed for gloss work. The fact alone that 
the work has to be passed through the rolls several times 
before it is finished, naturally tends to this end, and 
that is why this class of machine has had such a large 
sale, for many of the customers of medium capacity 
laundries require gloss finish on their collars and cuffs. 

The next machine in point of capacity is one having 
its revolving heated roll above the padded roll, and is 
represented in the "Watkins" machine, kno^\^l as the 
ISTo. 7, and shown in Fig. 55. Many laundry machinery 
concerns manufacture this machine on the same lines, 
there being no patent upon the device. This machine 
is found in small custom laundries ; it produces a very 
high gloss, and has a capacity of about one hundred and 
fifty dozen pieces a day. 



— 180 




Fij. 01. "H" COLI.AR AND CUFF IRONER. 

(Adams Laundry Machinery Co.) 



181 — 




Fie. 52. COLiTIMBIA COLLAR AND CUFF IRONER. 
(Wilson Laundry Machinery Co.) 



— 182 — 




Fig. 53. TROY No. 6 COLLAK AND CUFF IRONER. 

(Troy Laundry Machinery Co.) 



— 183 — 

There is yet another type of machine for ironing 
collars and cuffs, which has a reciprocating padded sur- 
face, running in contact with a revolving heated roll, 
see Fig. 56. This machine resembles the Sinclair type 
of bosom-ironer. In fact, the Sinclair firm and other 
manufacturers, make a machine that is known as ''The 
Combination," it being adapted to either iron shirt- 
bosoms or collars and cuffs. It produces a very high 
gloss, which is well adapted to the requirements of laun- 
dries whose trade demand that finish. 

There is another reciprocating collar-ironer which 
is known as the ''Gardner." This machine differs from 
the one just described in the fact that the roll is recip- 
rocated instead of the padded surface. It is so con- 
structed that the roll will revolve one way and slide the 
other, or revolve both ways, or slide both ways; thus 
it will be seen that it has either a great amount of 
friction or no friction. This niachine has been used 
for many years in some of the Troy collar shops, and 
is still quite a favorite on certain grades of work. 

There is a small machine which is a necessary ad- 
junct to the laundry of large capacity. This machine 
is known as the "Troy Collar Tipper," and is used to 
iron the tijDS of winged point collars after they have 
been ironed on the large machine. As the collars are 
ironed only once on the inside it leaves an undesirable 
appearance on the part of a standup collar which is 
folded over, and consequently the collar tipper helps 
the laundryman out of this difiiculty. This machine 
is simply a power press, having a felt surface pressed 
against a heated surface ; the point of the collar is 
slightly moistened, placed under this hot plate, and 
jjressed ; this gives the desired finish to the collar which 



— 184 — 




Fig. 54. "N. & K." COLLAR AND CUFF IRONER. 

(Nelson & Kreuter.) 



— 185 - 




Fig. 56. COMBINATION COLiLAR AND CUFF IKON£R. 

(S. H. Sinclair Co.) 



— 186 




Fig. 57. OOLLAR TIPPER. 

(Troy Laundry Machinery Co.^ 



— 187-- 




Fig. 58. HAGEN STEAM COLLAR AND CXJFF IRONEK 
(A. T. Hagen Co.) 



— 188 — 

has already received a nearly complete ironing by hav- 
ing been passed throngh the collar-ironer. The Troy 
tipper is shown in Fig. 57. 

The machines which have thus far been described 
are all heated by gas. There is, however, a machine 
maunfactured to iron collars and cuffs wdiich is heated 
by steam. This machine is of Ilagen manufacture, and 
is illustrated in Fig. 58. It is claimed for this ma- 
chine that it possesses the advantage of being free from 
the danger of ever scorching the work, and that it pro- 
duces a pearly white appearance, which is not always 
the case in goods ironed by machines heated with gas. 
This machine is said to be especially adaj^tcd for custom 
work because it renders the goods tough and pliable and 
pleasing to Avear, and while it may not stand the rough 
handling usually given to new work it is said to be 
strong enough to hold up and remain in shajoe until 
it is worn. 

The idea of this machine is taken from the old steam 
mangle and it consists in having a large steam cylinder 
running in contact with several small padded rolls. 
In this machine the goods are in contact with the heated 
surface during all the time they are passing through 
the machine. In other classes of machines the goods 
are in contact with the heated roll only when the small 
roll is in contact with them, and then the heated surface 
is only at the point of contact. In the steam machines, 
however, the whole of the heated surface is in contact 
wdth the whole of the surface of the goods, thereby mak- 
ing it possible to iron the work at a low temperature. 

The ironing of standup collars is a comparatively 
easy matter, as they are not folded, but simply curled, 
which is done by running them through a machine 
known as the "Collar Shaper." But the ironing of 



— 189 — 

FILLING CUP, W REGULATOR 

GUAZE STRAINER 




Fig. 59. ECLIPSE SEAM DAMPENER. 
(Barnes-Erb Co.) 

turndown collars is quite difficult, as tliey liave to be 
turned and shaped after thej have been ironed on the 
collar ironer. It is necessary to dampen the line where 
the collar turns to prevent the cracking of the goods, 
and in order to do this neatly the use of a dampening 
device is necessary to dampen evenly that portion of 
the collar where it turns over, and not spread the line 
too wide, as this would cause the collar to be soft around 
the edge of the fold. 

This dampening device is generally called the seam 
dampener, and it usually consists of some sort of a 
roll arrangement having felt, or fibre, edges to which 



— 190 — 

the water is applied, and as this roll passes over the goods 
it causes a streak of water to remain where the roll 
has passed. There are various makes of seam-dampen- 
ers, some of which are automatic, and feed the water 
continuously when in use. Others are made with a 
felt washer held in ])lace between two metal flanges; 
this felt being kept usually in water when not in use. 
There is a more elaborate seam-dampener manufactured 
by the Barnes & Erb Co., and shown in Fig. 59, which 
it is claimed possesses greater merit than the wheel 
dampener. Any arrangement which will evenly dis- 
tribute a narrow line of water, where the collar is to be 
folded, is all that is absolutely necessary. 

The water for seam-dampening should be warm, so 
that it will penetrate the goods more quickly. It is 
also recommended that about five percent of pure 
glycerine be added to the water, rendering it capable 
of being more quickly absorbed. 

After the collars have been dampened they should 
be allowed to stand a few minutes before turning, to 
allow the water to thoroughly saturate the fibre. If 
they are turned too soon after being dampened, they 
are liable to crack. After they have been sufficiently 
dampened they should be folded and shaped. The 
process of folding a collar is quite an art, and it should 
be done with great care in order to give the collar its 
proper shape, and not crack the linen. The collar 
should be partially turned by hand, and then run 
through the collar-shaper. 

To run the turndown collar through the shaper and 
preserve its shape is quite a difficult matter, and re- 
quires considerable practice before one is able to pre- 
vent the collar from becoming jammed up in the shaper. 



— 191 — 

The shaper creases down the fold, and also curves the 
collar to conform to the neck, and, as the outside of 
the collar is longer than the inside, it must come from 
the shaper at the right curve, or else the inside band 
will double over and form a crease. 




TREfiDLE 



Fig. 60. COLLAR SHAPER, 

(Adams Laundry Machinery Co.) 



A collar-shaper consists usually of a rubber roll 
running in contact with a small metal roll. In some 
instances the metal roll is heated, in which case the 
rubber roll is generally dispensed with, and a roll 
covered with cloth substituted. There is also a sort 
of shelf arrangement in close contact with the rubber 
roll, and near the small roll. It is placed in such a 



— 192 — 

position that it bends the eoHar when it passes through 
the machine. The Adams Laundry Machinery Co. 
manufacture a coUar-shaper, and have so constructed 
it that the operator can release the pressure and 
contact of the roll at will, thereby making it pos- 
sible to have the machine act on any portion of the 
collar desired. An illustration of this collar-shajDer 
is shown in Fig. 60. The principle upon which this 
machine oj^erates makes it practical to shajje rolled 
turned down collars, and not break the roll of the collar 
on the end, as the collar can be placed in the machine, 
and the shaper applied at any point on the collar, and 
left off at any point. This machine is also made to 
run at a fast or a slow speed, which is very convenient, 
for when shaping standup collars or cuffs, the machine 
may be run rapidly, and when shaping turndown col- 
lars it may be run at a slow Speed as is desirable. 

After the collars have been run through the shaper 
they will be found to be more or less roughened and 
bent at the edge where the fold is made, and in order 
to do a first-class job this unevenness should be ironed 
out. This is done on what is known as an "edge" 
ironer. This is a little machine having a curved, raised 
flange, which is brought to an edge. The collar is 
placed on this curved flange, having the edge of the 
flange extending inside of the collar, and snug up into 
the fold ; a grooved hot iron is then passed around on 
the edge of the fold, smoothing the edge and finishing 
the job. There have been various machines manu- 
factured lately, commonly kno^\^l as the "saw edge" 
machine, examples of wdiich are shown in Figs. 61 to 6-i. 
There used to be a general complaint from people wear- 
ing standup collars, about the edges being so rough, and 



— 193 — 




— 194 — 

for this reason the saw edge machine was invented. It 
is ahnost impossible to launder a standiip collar withont 
its having rough edges, and to overcome this, the edge 
is slightly moistened and ironed. Some accomplish it 
bj passing it through a groove in a hot iron, others 



Fig. 55. No. 7 COLLAR AND CUFF IRONER. 

(F. M. Watkins Co.) 

by having a system of rolls having grooves in them. 
Either device is practicable. There is no invention 
in the laundry line that has been so much appreciated 
by the public as this little saw edge machine, and every 
laundryman who would be up to date in his equipment 
should not overlook this simple device. 



195 



PART SECOND. 



CHAPTER 1. 

CUSTOM OB OLD WORK LAUNDERING. 

This branch of the industry has grown to be a large 
commercial factor in the business world. While the 
fundamental principle of laundering remains the same 
in old work as in new, the conditions vary to a con- 
siderable degree, and many of the methods are different 
owing to the fact that not so thorough a treatment or 
such extensive and complicated methods are required in 
laundering old work. While it is necessary to relaunder 
goods nicely, it is not necessary or even practicable to 
go to the same extent in laundering them as though 
the goods were to be sold or were to remain a long time 
in stock. A customer is not particular as to the general 
character and shape of goods which are relaundered 
so long as they look well when worn. The dealer, 
however, requires that his goods present a fine appear- 
ance when he places them on sale, and therefore the 
laundryman who launders new work must give attention 
to everything which adds to the appearance and the char- 
acter of this work. 

While the chief requisite of the laundryman who 
launders old work is to get it clean and starch and iron 
it well, the prevailing price for relaundering goods does 
not permit of expending so much labor upon them as 
was done at the time they were first laundered. 



— 196 — 

New work, as a general rule, is better to look at 
than to wear, owing to the fact tliat, in order to have 
the goods appear well when on sale and stand hand- 
ling, they are starched very stiif, and when a man first 
wears them he is very uncomfortable. Take shirts for 
example. Usually the bodies are starched, the bosoms 
are very stitf, and the yokes are stuck together. One 
wearing some of the new work which has been laun- 
dered in some one of the stockwork factories, feels as 
though he were wearing a coat of mail, but when the 
same shirt is relaundered it comes back quite a differ- 
ent article. Then the body and the yoke are soft, 
the bosom is pliable, and one wearing it the second 
time would hardly believe it was the same shirt. 

It is much easier to relaunder goods than to first 
launder them, and the more times they are laundered 
the easier they can be laundered. The fibre seems to 
soften, the goods wash and starch easier, and they be- 
come capable of receiving a more pliable finish. Xice 
custom laundry work consists in having the goods tough 
and jiliable, not harsh and stiff. Take a collar, for 
instance, that is laundered right, it will have a sort of 
clastic finish, that is, it will be soft without being 
iveak. It may be buttoned on to a shirt without any 
(effort or damage to the buttonholes. Shirt bosoms will 
not be like boards, but s^iringy and yielding, and yet 
they will not break or blister by wearing. 

]S[ice laundry work is clean Avork ; it should be im- 
maculate. If it is white, it is a pure white ; if colored, 
it is clean and bright. It is well ironed, has no rough 
dries or scorches, it is well starched and wiped, and 
no blotches of starch are seen upon it. l^ice laundry 
work does not have starch on the body of the shirt or 
half way up the sleeve. 



I 



— 1U7 — 

The standard of good laundry work was well ex- 
pressed by a friend of the author, who said that certain 
work "looked good enough to eat." This I considered 
a very fitting expression, for work that looks good 
enough to eat, must be very good looking work, unless 
one is not particular about what he eats. 



198 — 



CHAPTER 2. 

WASH ROOM. 

The foundation of good lanndry work, for old work, 
is the same as for new, and that is the wash room. It 
is here that the work is prepared for the other depart- 
ments. The work must be washed well, or no good 
results can be obtained, no matter how well the work 
may be done after it leaves the wash room. If it is 
not clean, no amount of scrubbing with the sponge 
cloth in the ironing room will make it look right, and 
to get good work in the wash room, much depends upon 
the plan of handling the goods and the general arrange- 
ments for doing so. 

In the first place the wash room must be so con- 
structed that it may be kept absolutely clean. It should 
be a place where one would not be afraid to spill a 
little water, or allow a little steam to escape. It should 
be arranged in such a manner that the floors may be 
easily flushed with water, and the machines kept clean 
on their exteriors by the use of the hose. 

The floors should be made of Portland cement con- 
crete, with a decided grade leading to a sewer con- 
nection. It is an excellent plan to have a gutter ex- 
tending under the machines and connecting with the 
sewer, and to have the floor graded so that any water 
on the floor may drain into the gutter and pass into 
the sewer. The washing machines should open into 
this gutter, so that, in case any garment is dropped be- 
tween the cylinder and the machine, it will pass out 



— 199 — 

into the open gutter. Thus it will not be lost, as would 
be the case were the outlet of the washing machines 
connected directly with the sewer. 

There should be an abundant supply of hot and cold 
water. It is quite an easy matter to obtain an abundant 
supply of cold water, providing the water works are 
of sufficient capacity, but it is not such an easy matter 
to have an abundant supply of hot water and there are 
many varied devices and means resorted to to obtain 
hot water. This subject has been quite fully covered 
and discussed in describing the treatment of new Avork. 

To get the greatest capacity out of washing machines 
it is necessary to have large water connections. Especi- 
ally should the hot water supply pipe be large, not less 
than two inches, as the pressure of hot water is usually 
not very great. 

To those who can not obtain a storage of hot water 
the author would recommend an arrangement of pipes 
by means of which water may be heated as it passes 
into the machine. One will not be able to fill the ma- 
chines as rapidly by this means as one could do with 
a supply of hot water, as the water must be admitted 
slowly in order to heat it sufficiently as it passes in. 
An instantaneous heater may be made simply by in- 
serting a steam jet into the water pipe, and discharging 
the steam into the water as it passes through the pipe. 

If the water pipe is connected at the end of the 
w^ashing machine, instead of having an elbow where it 
turns to go into the machine have a "T." Supposing 
the pipe to be one and one-half inches in diameter, the 
"T" should have two openings an inch and a half in 
diameter, one placed on the side and the other on one 
end. To these openings the water pipe should be con-' 



— 200 — 

nected. The opposite end should be reduced to three 
quarters of an inch, which is the usual steam connection. 
Through this three-quarter opening should be run a 
straight thread, that is, one not having the usual taper 
which is given the regulation pipe fittings. This thread 
should be equal in size through the opening of the 
"T" so that a pipe may be screwed in and through this 
opening from the inside. A six-inch nipple three quar- 
ters of an inch in diameter, having a thread on one 
end about two inches long should be screwed into the 
"T" from the inside, and extend through far enough 
to admit a connection to this nipple to be made on 
the outside of the ''T." 

The steam pipe is connected to the projecting end 
of the nipple, and the joints made tight by lock nuts, 
which screw against the steam connection, and also 
against the '^T." If these lock nuts are not used it 
will be difficult to make a steam tight joint, as there 
is no taper to the thread. The nipple extends beyond 
the side opening of the 'T" where the water is admitted, 
and when steam is admitted through the pipe it is dis- 
charged into the water pipe in the direction of the 
flow of water, acting on the injector principle, and 
causing no back pressure on the water pipe. The 
temperature of the water which passes into the machine 
may be regulated by the amount of water admitted, 
and by the pressure of steam. 

Hot water is one of the most essentiaT things in the 
wash room, in fact, it is quite impossible to do good 
work without it, and as this arrangement is so simple, 
anyone may avail themselves of the use of hot water. 
While this method may not be as convenient as the 
storage tank arrangement, it will practically answer the 



— 201 — 

same purpose. So, when discussing the methods of 
washing, there will be no attempt to furnish a formula 
by means of which one may obtain good work without 
the use of hot water. 

The jjower for a wash room is usually transmitted 
by shafting which is run overhead. The modern wash- 
ing machine requires no counter shafts, and it is usually 
the rule to extend the line shafting nearly perpendicu- 
larly over the washing machines. The extractors and 
any other machinery in the wash room are usually run 
by countershafts. 

The best double leather belt should be used on 
washing machines, as the work is very hard for belts. 
They are subject to great strains, and when the ma- 
chines are in oi^eration the belts are constantly being 
shifted from one pulley to the other to produce the 
reverse motion of the cylinder. The best quality of 
belting is recommended for the reason that the wash 
room is usually a damp place, in which a poor belt is 
very short lived. 



202 — 



CHAPTER 3. 



WASHING MACHINES. 



It is said that more patents have been granted for 
washing machines than for any other class of ma- 
chinery. The greater nnniber of these patents have 
been granted on inventions for domestic use. The energy 
expended in washing soiled garments is something 
inventors have for many years been studying to lessen, 
but without any apparent success. Any machine 
which has to be operated by hand, usually requires as 
much energy as is equivalent to that used in washing 
the goods in the ordinary way. 

Most of the inventions are not those of practical 
men, but are the outcome of the efforts of someone who 
has tried to get something for nothing. While the 
inventions along this line in jDOwer machinery have 
been very successful, and the state of the art in the 
mechanism of power washing machinery is considered 
by the author to be as well advanced as that of any 
other machine, the modern washing machine is an evo- 
lution. The prinsiple on which it operates is two-fold, 
mechanical and hydraulic. The mechanical part con- 
sists in dashing the goods from one side of the cylinder 
to the other, and the hydraulic principle consists in forc- 
ing the water through the goods by the centrifugal 
action of the cylinder. These two princij^les combined 
are found in almost all washing machines today. 

Machines differ in construction, but the principle 
is alwavs the same. At one time there were different 



— 203 — 

constructions of machines, and machines having differ- 
ent principles, but as niany of these macliines are now 
nearly obsolete, it will hardly be necessary to describe 
them in this work. The modern laundry washer is 
so far ahead of them, that if a laundrynian should have 
one of the other kind, the author would advise him 
to throw it away, and catch up with the procession. 

A ]30wer washer, such as is used today in all the 
modern laundries in this country is constructed with 
a water-tight, cylindrical-shaped tank, having a perfor- 
ated cylinder within it. This inner cylinder, by a 
reverse mechanism, is caused to revolve several times 
in one direction, and to reverse and revolve several 
times in the opposite direction, the reversing mechanism 
being automatic, changing the motion of the cylinder 
at regular intervals. This reverse motion is necessary 
to prevent the clothing from becoming entangled in 
the machine. A continuous motion will tangle the 
goods to such an extent that it is almost impossible to 
separate them. 

The above description applies to the washing ma- 
chine pure and simple. While there are a great many 
manufacturers who make washing machines, and claim 
different advantages for them, none claim that their 
machine possesses any advantages in washing over any 
other machine, their claims being based usually on the 
construction of the cylinders, or that of the mechanical 
movement. Xo special make of washing macliines 
could be recommended because they would wash any 
better than any other. Machines might be recom- 
mended that because they were built on better mechani- 
cal principles than others, or because they possessed 
greater durability, but when it comes down to washing, 



— 204 — 




— 205 — 

one will wash as good as another, providing it is of the 
same size and capacity. 

In the purchase of a washing machine it is the ad- 
vice of the author to buy the best. A washing machine 
is subjected to very severe treatment, owing to the 
nature of the work it has to do, and at its best is very 
short lived, as compared to any other class of laundry 
machinery. The regulation w^asher is built usually 
for cheai^ness. It has a pine outside cylinder, and a 
hardwood inside cylinder, with the reverse motion 
bolted on to the wood of the outer cylinder. This ma- 
chine is very short lived, as the wood soon becomes 
softened by the action of the hot water and the steam, 
the bolts Avhieh hold the motion to the head become 
loosened, the reverse median ism gets out of line, and 
as a result the machine soon goes to pieces. 

Several manufacturers of laundry machinery build 
washers having a cast-iron head, to which the motion 
is attached. This is quite a practical machine, and far 
more durable than a machine having heads of wood. 
It might seem to some who have had no experience with 
this class of machine that the iron head would rust and 
cause trouble. Such does not seem to be the case, as 
the iron soon becomes coated with a deposit from the 
w^ater, the soap and the other ingredients which are used 
in the machine, and this deposit prevents the iron from 
rusting. As the movement is bolted to this iron head, 
there is no possible chance for the gearing to separate, 
as is the case with wooden heads. The IST. & K. Iron- 
head Washer, shown in Fig. 05, is a good example 
of this type. 

A machine having a frame work of iron, into which 
the wooden cylinder is fitted is also another good style 



— 206 




PS it: 
WO 
W2 



^^6 



Ht3 



-S 






— 207 — 

of which tlie Walk ins iiuichiiic, showai in Fig. QQ, is 
an example. The iron frame is self contained, and the 
movement is bolted to the frame. All the bearings are 
attached to this frame. The wooden part of the ma- 
chine may be removed and renewed without disturbing 
the belts which operate it. This plan of construction 
makes a very strong and durable washer, and one that 
will run for a great many years with a very little cost 
for repairs. . The perishable part of it being wood is 
easily renewed, making the machine practically as good 
as new. 

There are combinations of various kinds in washing- 
machines. One which is quite common is a machine 
having a wood outside cylinder, and a brass inside in- 
side cylinder, as shown in Fig. G7. This machine is 
quite expensive, but its durability justifies the first cost. 
A brass cylinder in an iron frame machine is about as 
practical a washing machine as one can buy. It pos- 
sesses all the advantages of any washing machine, be- 
sides having the great merit of durability. The wear- 
ing parts are practically indestructible. The outside 
cylinder, of course, requires to be renewed in time. This 
can be easily done on this style of machine without even 
removing the inside cylinder, or changing the belt. 
This brass cylinder machine is constructed also with 
an outer cylinder having an iron head, making a very 
durable machine. 

The acme of washing machines is the all-metal ma- 
chine. Fig. OS. The washing machine having a 
wooden outside cylinder possesses the merit over the all- 
metal machine of being nonradiating. A metal ma- 
chine requires more steam, as every time the metal is 
cooled off it has to be heated again from the heat that 



— 208 — 




— 209 — 

is in the water. As this heat has to be supplied bj 
steam, it requires more steam to operate a washing 
machine which is made of metal than one which is 
made of wood. This is the only objection to a metal 
washer, but it is quite an objection where one is oper- 
ating a large plant of washing machines, and therefore 
it is greater economy from every point of view to use a 
machine having a wooden outside cylinder, and a brass 
inside cylinder, for reasons already stated. 

A machine which has a capacity over one hundred 
shirts should be geared at both ends. Machines are 
being manufactured which have a large drive gear at- 
tached to the journal of the inside cylinder at each 
end of the machine as illustrated in Fig. 6i). These 
gears are connected and run in contact with pinion 
gears which are attached to a shaft running longitudin- 
ally with the machine at the back. To this shaft is 
attached the reverse mechanism which drives the cylin- 
der. Thus the power is distributed equally to each end 
of the machine, producing no torsional strain on the 
inner cylinder. 

Some manufacturers build washing machines hav- 
ing a galvanized iron outside cylinder. This machine 
is quite generally used in the hospitals and public in- 
stitutions. It is considered by physicians and super- 
intendents of iDublic institutions to be the best machine 
for that class of work, owing to its sanitary qualities. 
This construction of machine is popular also on account 
of its comparative cheapness, as an all-brass washer 
is a very expensive luxury. 

There is another machine which it might be well 
to speak about in connection with the subject of insti- 
tution work, and that is the machine called a ''Disin- 



— 210 — 










(0 H 



— 211 — 

fecting Machine." It resembles a washer in construc- 
tion, and is practically a washer which has the outer 
cylinder constructed strong enough to withstand the 
steam pressure employed. The openings are arranged 
in such a manner that they are easily made steam tight. 

The article of clothing which is to be disinfected is 
placed in this machine, the outer cylinder sealed up, 
and a pressure of steam admitted. The action of the 
machine agitates the goods and allows the steam to 
thoroughly i^enetrate every fibre, which effectually de- 
stroys all disease germs that there may be in the goods, 
and renders the clothing free from the danger of spread- 
ing contagious diseases. After the goods have been 
subjected to a steam bath the washing process is con- 
tinued in the ordinary Avay. See Fig. 70. 

The steam chamber is constructed of an inner and 
outer steel shell, forming a steam jacket, with cast- 
iron ends, frames and doors fitted with steam-tight 
copper gaskets. The jacket gives perfect circulation, 
prevents too rapid condensation and dries thoroughly 
the goods exposed. This jacket is filled with steam 
during the entire operation, making the chamber a 
drying oven, so that the articles to be sterilized and 
disinfected are brought to temperature before the ad- 
mission of steam to the inner chamber, and thoroughly 
dried after the steam has been exhausted. To prevent 
a possibility of life to the germ by an admixture of 
steam and air during exposure, an air pump is applied 
whereby a vacuum of fifteen to twenty inches is pro- 
duced previous to the admission of steam to the inner 
chamber. 

Many institutions, -which have very filthy goods 
to be washed, have a system of ventilation applied to 



— 212 — 




(4 

W 

W -a 

Hi § 

O 5 

<£ B 

CO < 



213 — 




— 214 — 

the washing machines which is excellent, and would 
not be amiss in any laundry. The plan of ventilation 
is as follows: 

Into each end of the cylinder of the washing ma- 
chine is connected an air pipe about five inches in diam- 
eter. This air pipe leads to an exhaust fan, and from 
there to the open air. The exhaust fan is continually 
running, and any odor or steam from the goods in the 
machine is removed and discharged through the exliaust 
pipe, thus preventing the sickening odor which is pres- 
ent in many institution laundries, . ? well as in some 
custom laundries. 

There is a novelty in the way of washing machines, 
which is manufactured with a woven wire cylinder, 
and it is claimed that it has a greater washing efficiency 
than the ordinary machine, owing to the fact that it has 
more openings through which the water can pass and 
consequently produces a greater hydraulic action. Un- 
doubtedly this machine has considerable merit. Fig. 
71 is a cut of Woven Wire Washer. 



215 — 




— 216 




— 217 — 



CHAPTER 4. 

FILTERS. 

The question of filters in our modern laundries is 
a momentous question, especially in localities where the 
^vater is supj^lied from rivers or streams which are 
subject to freshets, or have a natural discoloration. 
It is not necessary to filter water for laundry purposes 
except to free it from any foreign substance held in 
solution. The question of bacteria or foreign sub- 
stances which might affect its qualities as a drinking 
water need not be considered when the water is to be used 
for laundry purposes. All that is there required is 
to have a water tliat is clear, which will not stain or 
discolor the goods that are washed in it. 

The greatest need of filters is in laundries depending 
on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers for their supply. 
Rarely ever is the water from these rivers clear. There 
is usually present what is known as red clay or alumi- 
niferous earth. This substance is very readily taken 
up by water and puts it in that condition which 
is commonly called rily. To use this water success- 
fully this substance must be gotten rid of, and the only 
plan by which this may be accomplished is by filtering. 

The principle of filtering consists in passing the 
water W'hich is charged with foreign substance through 
a material which has sharp angles or corners that will 
catch and hold the foreign substances, allowing the 
water to pass through and come out clear and free 
from dirt. The usual plan in filtering consists in hav- 



— 218 — 

ing a bed of finely ground quartz or sand through which 
the water passes. This will relieve the water of all 
particles down to a very minute size. But as this 
foreign substance is not of a uniform size there are 
certain small particles which will escape through this 




Fig. 72. NEW^ YORK FILTER. 

(New York Continentaljewel Filtration Co.) 

filtering bed, and pass out with the' water, leaving the 
water stitl impure. In order to thoroughly eradicate 
this trouble a coagulant is required. 

A coagulant is a substance which binds together the 
numerous finer particles of the foreign substances, mak- 
ing a body sufficiently large to be caught by the jagged 
edges of the filtering quartz. It curdles the matter in 
the water and the quartz catches the curdled particles, 
leaving the water pass through clear. The usual coagu- 



— 219 — 

lant is alum. This acts on the imj)urities in the water 
in the same manner as the white of an egg does on 
coffee. 

The amount of alum required is usually about one- 
half a grain to a gallon of water. Almost all of our 
modern filters are provided with means of automatically 
feeding alum solution into the water while it is being 
filtered. 

There is no objection to the use of alum as a coagu- 
lant, as none of the alum escapes with the water. It 
unites with the impurities of the water and is retained 
by the filtering substance. It is then carried away when 
the filter is washed. The analyses of purified water 
where alum has been used show no trace whatever of 
alum. 

In localities where freshets are common the water 
becomes very bad at these times and the use of alum 
alone as a coagulant is not sufficient. At such times 
it is generally used in combination with lime. The 
water is first treated with alum and subsequently with 
lime. The effect is an instantaneous action between the 
two whereby all the foreign substance is precipitated. 
Most of our modern filters are provided with apparatus 
for using alum and lime in combination. 

There are various makes of filters for laundry pur- 
poses, of which the pressure type of filters is that usu- 
ally adopted. This type of filter permits the connection 
of the water supply to it, and the supply of filtered water 
passes directly from it, filtering the water under full 
pressure as needed. The principle employed in all of 
these filters is the same. It consists in passing the 
water through a filtering substance, usually of pulver- 
ized quartz. They usually have means for feeding 



220 — 







Fig. 73. BOWDEN FILTER. 
(Hygeia Filter Co.) 



— 221 — 

ooagiiiants into the water, drop by drop, in such quan- 
tities as may be needed. 

The principal merit in any filter is a thorough 
means of washing the filtering substance. This sub- 
stance becomes charged with the impurities v/hich it 
collects from the water, and the impurities must be 
washed out, or the filter would soon become useless. 
Many makes of filters are provided with a means of 
washing by reversing the current of water and break- 
ing up the filtering bed by forcing the water from the 
bottom up through the top. As the water is intro- 
duced into the bottom of the filter it disturbs the par- 
ticles of sand and carries off the impurities, leaving the 
sand clean. The ^STew York Filter Co. makes a filter 
of this kind, which is shown in Fig. 72. The Bowden 
filter, shown in Fig. 73, is another. 

There are other makes of filters which have a me- 
chanical action as well as an hydraulic action for the 
purpose of breaking up the sand or filtering bed and 
washing it. In localities where water is very bad 
this type of filter is of good service, as it thoroughly 
disturbs the sand by mechanical action, and allows 
the water to wash every part of the filtering bed. This 
type is exemplified in the Jewell Filter, illustrated in 
Fig. 74. 

The average size filter for a laundry doing $500.00 
worth of work a week, and using Ohio or Mississippi 
water, should be about 60 inches in diameter. This 
filter should be fitted with a 2|-inch supply pipe, and 
it will filter 2,500 gallons of water per hour. In lo- 
calities where the water is not so bad, for a business 
of the same dimensions a filter 3G inches in diameter 
is sufficient. 



— 222 — 



j::\. 




FiR. 74. JJilWKL FILTER. 
(New York Continental Jewel Filtration Co.) 



— 223 — 

The best kind of alum to use as a coagulant is 
what is known as the commercial sulphate of alumina. 
This is especially recommended on account of its sol- 
uble qualities, as it goes directly into solution when 
placed in water. 

Ordinarily a filter should be washed once in twenty- 
four hours. With some waters it will require wash- 
ing more frequently, and there are localities in which 
the filter need not be washed so often. It depends 
entirely on the condition of the water, and judgment 
must be used regarding the frequency of the washing. 



224 — 



CHAPTER 5. 



ODDS AND ENDS. 



In every well-regulated washroom for handling cus- 
tom work there are required various minor machines, 
tanks, tubs, and utensils, which will be classed under 
the head of "Odds and Ends." The first of these 
which is to be considered is the machine known as the 
tumbler. This consists of a single revolving cylinder, 
and is used for shaking out flat work or family work 
after it has been extracted, putting it into a condition 
to be handled easily. This class of work is usually 
soft, and becomes so thoroughly pressed together by the 
centrifugal force of the extractor that it makes it a very 
slow process to separate the pieces by hand. The 
tumbler, however, shakes them up, and leaves them in 
a nice, light condition to be ironed or mangled. Most 
all of the laundry machinery manufacturers make a 
tumbler. It is a simple machine. Some of them are 
made to reverse, and some revolve continuously. The 
cylinder is usually slatted to allow the lint from the 
goods to pass through. 

Laundries which do not use a collar and cuff starcher 
generally use the dipwheel for this purpose, and this 
device is found usually in the washroom. There are 
various shapes and makes of the dipwheel. Some are 
box-shaped, and others coffin-shaped, while still others 
are round. The goods are put into tjiem together with 
the starch, and the machine is made to revolve so that 
it pounds the starch into the goods. There is no ques- 



— 225 — 

tion but that the dipwheel puts lots of starch into the 
goods, and it puts lots of wrinkles into them as well. 

Extractors are necessary in a washroom doing cus- 
tom work, as well as in those doing new work, and, as 
they have been fully discussed in a former chapter, 
no further description will be necessary. An extrac- 
tor having a 26-inch basket is usually the most practi-" 
cal size, and is that best adapted for custom work. 

It is also necessary to have stationary tubs with 
power roll wringers attached, for washing anything 
that may be too delicate to be washed in the machines. 
They may be used also for starching skirts, or for 
starching any other garment requiring it. The sta- 
tionary tubs should have connected to them hot and 
cold water and steam-pipes. Porcelain is the best ma- 
terial to have in a stationary tub, as it is more durable 
and is cleaner than any other material. 

To get a practically uniform color in all grades 
of white material it is necessary to blue the goods by 
hand in stationary tubs. It is impossible to mix all 
kinds of goods together in a washing machine to blue 
them, and have them all take the same degree of color. 

Some goods take blue more quickly than others, 
and, therefore, for uniformity in color, the goods that 
take the blue more quickly or more easily should be 
blued in a separate tank, in which the water is not so 
blue as would be necessary to blue these goods which 
require stronger blue to the same shade. 

Two bluing-tanks are usually all that are required 
to give a practically uniform color. These tanks 
should contain blning-water which in one of them is 
several degrees bluer than that in the other. The 
tanks should be located conveniently in the washroom 
and should have an extractor between them in order 



— 226 — 

that the goods can be removed without inconvenience 
from the tanks to the extractor. 

The operation in connection with these tanks will 
be further described when the methods of the wash- 
room are treated. They should be connected with 
cold water pipes, steam and hot water not being re- 
quired unless one prefers to blue in warm water. Of 
course this tank should necessarily be connected with 
the sewer. 

If any starching is to be done in the washroom 
it will be necessary to have starch cookers placed 
therein. For a description of starch cookers the reader 
is referred to a former chapter. 

It is also necessary to have tanks for making soap 
and tanks for bleaching solution, as has been described 
under the head of new work. 

It is an excellent plan to have, in the washroom of 
a custom laundry, stationary tanks in which extremely 
soiled clothing may be soaked before washing. There 
are many goods which come to the custom laundry so 
badly soiled that it is quite impossible to get them 
clean in the ordinary process of washing. As the 
laundries are supposed to turn out every piece immacu- 
late, it is necessary to make provision for thoroughly 
washing ever\i:hing which may be sent to the laundry. 
Therefore, soaking-tanks are necessary adjuncts. These 
tanks should be connected with hot and cold water 
and steam-pipes, and they should also have a proper 
sewer connection. They should be made of porcelain, 
or, if of wood, they should be zinc-lined to prevent 
wood stains. 

There should also be scales, graduating glasses and 
measures. Nothing ever should be done by guess in 
a washroom. 



227 — 



CHAPTER 6. 

METHODS IN THE WASHROOM WASHING WHITE 

SHIRTS. 

Shirts that are very much soiled should be sepa- 
rated from the others, and, when time will permit^ 
thej should be soaked two or three hours in a solution 
of lukewarm water and soap. After they are soaked 
they may be washed together with the shirts which 
are not so badly soiled, and will come out looking 
equally as well after going through the washing pro- 
cess, because the soaking thoroughly loosens the fiber 
and partly dissolves the foreign substances which have 
been in the fiber of the material, rendering them easier 
to remove in the regular washing operation. 

It is not advisable to overload a washing-machine, 
and it is usually a safe j^lan to wash .one-fourth less 
than the number of shirts in a washing-machine than 
it is claimed by the manufacturers the machine will 
handle. ^Manufacturers are prone to overrate the 
capacity of washing machines, and it is better to wash 
seventy-five shirts in a machine that the manufacturer 
claims to be a hundred-shirt washer, if the machine 
is too full it destroys the action, there not being free- 
dom enough to admit of the free passage of water 
through the goods, and the washing process is incom- 
plete. It is necessary to have room enough for the 
goods to move about freely, as this aids in the washing 
and allows the soap and other ingredients to thoroughly 
penetrate every fiber. 



— 228 — 

It is well to first run the shirts in lukewarm water 
to remove the starch and any other loose foreign sub- 
stance which the goods may contain. After this has 
been done the goods are, ready to be soaped. There 
should be a suflicient amount of water in the machine 
to thoroughly saturate the goods, and to have a free 
amount within the inner cylinder. 

There should not, however, be enough water to 
float the goods or to raise them from contact with the 
surface of the inner cylinder. If the goods are al- 
lowed to float, the cylinder simply revolves around them 
without materially disturbing their position. But if 
the goods rest against the surface of the cylinder they 
are carried up by centrifugal force and the friction of 
the surface of the cylinder, and dashed against the 
opposite side. They are thus continually being dashed 
from side to side. As they ])ass around at the lowest 
point in the cylinder they pass into the water, and 
the continual action of falling and dipping carries 
on the washing operation. 

The second water should be charged sufficiently 
with soap to produce a free suds. The soap should 
contain as much caustic potash as it is safe to use, 
as goods of this nature are usually badly soiled, and 
require a very strong aoap. The suds should be about 
lukewarm, say, at a temperature of 110 degrees. The 
suds should never be allowed to get any hotter or colder. 
They should never be allowed to "go down." If suds 
go down, the soap invariably curdles in the goods and 
produces soaj) spots or ''black specks." Cold water 
should never be admitted to suds, as "it will cause the 
suds to go down, producing the results just described. 
If there is not soap enough in the suds the suds will 



— 229 — 

wear out after awhile, and this causes it to go down. 
In either event, soaj) spots are the Usual result. 

In the event of soap curdling and producing a 
soft, greasy substance in spots on the goods and be- 
tw^een the linings, it is necessary, in order to remove 
it, to thoroughly rinse the goods in hot water, and then 
to add about two quarts of kerosene oil with sufficient 
water to each seventy-five shirts. Bring this solution 
to a boiling point and keep it there at least an hour. 
This will thoroughly dissolve this greasy substance, 
rendering it easy to rinse it from the goods. After 
the soap spots have been removed, the washing process 
must be started again. 

The goods should be run in this first suds about 
one-half hour. After they have been run awhile it 
is well to add more soap to insure the suds from not 
going down. After running one-half hour in the first 
suds, rinse twice in water at the same temperature as 
the suds, always making it a point never to let water 
on the goods which is at a temperature lower than the 
water preceding it. Should goods be hot and cold 
water admitted, it closes the fiber of the goods, and 
an action takes place wdiich is commonly called "set- 
ting the dirt." The heat relaxes the fiber, leaving 
the threads loose and in a condition for the dirt to be 
easily removed. If cold water be admitted before 
tlie goods are cleaned, the fiber seems to contract and 
locks the dirt within it. This is the true theory of 
setting the dirt. 

After the goods have been rinsed twice, they are 
ready for the second suds, and if manufactured bleach 
is used, the goods may be bleached in the second suds. 

Goods that are dried indoors, as is necessary in a 



— 2;jo — 

custom laundry, require a slight bleaching to preserve 
their whiteness, and therefore the matter of bleaching 
with manufactured bleach, which is a very popular 
method, will be treated here. 

Manufactured bleach, or chlorinated fluid, is a chem- 
ical compound of chlorine, an alkali and water. The 
chlorine is usually generated directly from chloride 
of sodium, or common salt, and charged into the alka- 
line solution which retains the chlorine gas. This 
makes a very convenient bleaching agent, besides being 
a time-saver as well. It may be used together with the 
suds, bleaching and washing in one operation, whereas, 
if chloride of lime is used, it hardens the water, mak- 
ing it impractical to use soap. 

The chlorine fluid should be added with the soap in 
the second suds. Eight fluid ounces of the manufac- 
tured bleach should be used in a washing of seventy- 
five shirts. The goods should be run in this suds and 
bleach about three-quarters of an hour. A small 
amount of steam should be admitted and the solution 
gradually heated to not over 200 degrees, x^ever, in 
any event, allow it to come to a boil, or to 212 degrees. 

Goods should not be scalded until after they are 
clean. Soap of sufficient quantity should be used, in or- 
der that there may be a free suds during the whole time. 
The same tronl)le will be experienced if the second suds 
go down as when the first suds go down. It is not 
necessary to use an excessive amount of soap, as this 
will cause too much suds, which will run out of the 
machine, causing an excessive waste of material, be- 
sides retarding the action of the machine. The suds 
act as a cushion to the fall of the goods. Proper 
sudsing consists in havin<i' a lather which will come 



— 231 — 

up near to the opening of the machine. In this con- 
dition the goods have ample opportunity to fall and 
receive the action of the machine, and at the same time 
they are in no danger of receiving soap spots. 

If the bleaching is not done in the second suds it 
is necessary to run the goods fully three-quarters of an 
hour more in order to get them clean. At the end of 
this time, if the very soiled goods have been soaked, 
all the goods will be thoroughly clean and ready for 
rinsing. The first rinse after the suds should be let 
on very hot, if possible at two hundred degrees, and 
it is well to admit steam and boil this water for a few 
minutes. Three hot rinses of six or eight minutes 
each after the suds is usually sufficient. The machine 
should be well flooded with water when rinsing to 
thoroughly loosen up the goods and to allow the soap to 
be freely rinsed away. 

Aniline blue is now being generally used. This 
is preferred on account of its having a beautiful tone 
of color and being so easily soluble. It is a very sen- 
sitive dye, and will not take hold in the presence of 
alkali or chlorine. It requires an acid to develop the 
color and render it permanent, so it is necessary to 
treat the goods to an acid bath to neutralize any soap 
or chlorine which may remain in them after they are 
rinsed. As there are two methods of souring which 
are safe and practical, both will be given. 

The first method to be discussed will be souring 
with oxalic acid. There is much prejudice against 
oxalic acid as being an acid which will affect the fiber 
of the goods. This prejudice is largely due to igno- 
rance of the nature of the acid. Oxalic acid is not 
injurious to fiber except when in a dry state. It does 



not injure the goods except when drying. Heat pro- 
duces a chemical change in the acid, resulting in a 
substance which is highly corrosive. Therefore, if 
oxalic acid is well rinsed from the goods it will cause 
no injury. The chief thing to recommend oxalic acid 
for souring is that it does away with the yellow edges 
in collars and cuffs and the neck and the wristbands 
of shirts, and with various other stains which are 
common to custom laundry work. 

The action of the material is that of a whitener, 
and it has a strong affinity for aniline colors. Being 
more active, it neutralizes soap and chlorine much more 
quickly than does acetic acid. Oxalic acid should be 
used hot after the third rinse. Eight ounces of crystal 
acid should be dissolved in a pail of hot water and 
gradually poured into the machine while it is running, 
the machine having previously been filled with hot 
water. The goods should be run 20 minutes in this 
solution, after which they should be rinsed twice in 
cold water. They are then ready for bluing. 

To sour with acetic acid, it is necessary, after the 
first hot rinse which follows the second suds, to rinse 
twice in cold water. As the souring is done in cold 
water, and as it is not well to put a cold sour on hot 
goods, the goods should be cooled off each time. It 
is an easy matter to sour with acetic acid, and of course 
the chief thing to recommend it is the fact that it is 
entirely harmless. The goods may be rinsed in the 
clear acid, providing it is pure, and the acid need not 
be rinsed out, as no injury will be done by leaving it 
in the goods. 

There is a cheap commercial acid wdiich is sold 
as acetic acid. It is not acetic acid proper, however, 



— 233 — 

and is very injnrioiis to the goods. It is fully as 
unsafe to use as sulphuric acid, and it is well to test 
every purchase of acetic acid to determine if it will 
injure the goods. An easy test is to take a piece of 
cloth saturated in the acid and hang it in the dry- 
room. If, after it is dried, it proves to be tender, the 
acid is unfit for laundry, purposes. 

Use about four ounces of acetic acid to a lot of 
75 shirts. If the bluing process is to be done in the 
machine then add the required amount of blue to the 
acid water, and do not rinse afterward. If the bluing 
is to be done in a tub the goods will be ready for it 
after they have run in the acid water 15 minutes. 
If the bluing is to be done in the machine in connec- 
tion with the use of oxalic acid it should be done after 
the second rinse following the acid. About three 
ounces of acetic acid should be used to permanently 
fix the color, even though the goods have been pre- 
viously soured with the oxalic acid. 

It must be remembered that the oxalic acid has 
been rinsed away, leaving the goods in a pure white, 
neutral condition, and if they should be blued without 
a little acetic acid they would be liable to fade out in 
drying. 

Goods for custom work do not require to be blued 
as much as new work, only a sufficient amount being 
required to give them a slight blue tint, which will 
prevent them from looking yellow when ironed. 

It has already been stated that it is impossible to 
produce a uniform color in a load of promiscuous ma- 
terial, and the laundryman who desires to approach 
nearest to this result must blue by hand in the tubs. 
These tubs should contain water blued to two different 



— 234 — 

■degrees of color. One should have the shade of color 
which will give the correct shade to the goods which 
take the bluing the easiest. All the goods from the 
machine are placed in the weaker solution, and those 
pieces which do not take a sufficient amount of blue 
are sorted out and placed in the second bluing tub, 
which has the greater degree of blue color. This 
method will give a practically uniform color to all 
grades of goods. 

The goods should remain in this water fifteen to 
twenty minutes, after which they are taken out and 
extracted. The water should be made slightly acid by 
the use of acetic acid for the same reason as has been 
already stated when speaking of bluing in the machine. 
The bluijig solution should be changed for every load. 

White collars and cuffs are washed by the same 
process as shirts. They never should be washed with 
shirts in the same machine unless there is a partition 
in the machine. 

If one desires to bleach with a bleaching solution 
made from chloride of lime, according to the formula 
given under "Xew Work," it is necessary to do so 
after the second suds. The goods should be rinsed 
twice in lukewarm water before the bleach, and then 
the bleaching solution should be added to the lukewarm 
water, the quantity depending on the strength of the 
solution. Run the bleach twenty minutes, and after- 
wards rinse three times in hot water. The goods are 
then ready for the souring process, which is the same 
as already described. 



— 235 — 



CHAPTER 7. 

WASHING WOOLENS. 

See formula for a potash soap for washins; woolens 
ou page 350. 

It is a difficult matter to successfully wash woolen 
goods without shrinking them. In fact, it is quite 
impossible to prevent shrinking to a certain degree, 
although they may be washed and not be shrunken to 
any appreciable extent. The principal cause of shrink- 
ing is too severe action on the goods when they are in 
a wet condition. The nature of wool is such that if 
it receives a pounding or falling action, as it does when 
in a washing-machine, the fiber contracts, owing to the 
fact that wool fiber has a bearded surface. x\s it is 
worked, rubbed or pounded together, the threads lessen 
in length as the fibers rub against each other, and, 
owing to the bearded nature, they clinch and hold 
together in the condition which has been produced by 
the pounding action. When the goods are dry, the 
fiber remains in this condition, causing the garment 
to be shrunken, therefore it is necessary to wash wool- 
ens with as little action as possible and no more than 
is required to get them clean. 

Extreme temperatures in the wash-water also cause 
woolens to shrink. Flannels must be kept in luke- 
warm water at all times. Of course, the ideal way of 
washing flannels is to wash them by hand, then they 
may be washed in lukewarm suds, and the dirt gotten 



— 236 — 

rid of by squeezing the goods in the hands, but it is 
not advisable to rub them on the board. In custom 
laundries, where a large quantity of this class of goods 
is handled, washing them by hand is a slow and ex- 
pensive method. If care is used they may be safely 
washed in a machine, although when they are washed 
in a machine they should be rinsed by hand. 

To wash flannels (see formula 350) in a machine use 
a very lively suds to prevent the goods from falling too 
heavily against the walls of the washer. Use pure, neu- 
tral potash soap, and add a small amount of ammonia to 
the suds. The suds should be lukewarm, and never al- 
lowed to get too hot or too cold. The goods should be 
taken from the suds without drawing the water from the 
machine, and then rinsed by hand in a tub containing 
lukewarm water. They should be rinsed in two or 
three waters, and then immediately extracted. IS^ever 
allow flannels to lie in a wet condition, but as soon as 
they are rinsed, extract and dry them. 

After flannels have been extracted they should be 
gently stretched in every direction before drying. As 
soon as they are dry, they should be removed from the 
heat, as too long a stay in the dryroom will cause them 
to have a harsh feeling. Usually fifteen minutes in 
the suds is a sufiicient time to wash any flannel gar- 
ment. Should there be any garment that would re- 
quire a longer time it is the best plan to soak such a 
garment in lukewarm suds for an hour or so before 
washing. 

With proper care and attention flannels may be y 

washed by this method without any danger of seriously 
damaging them. If the suds should go down, and the 
goods are allowed to pound around in a washing-ma- 



— 237 — 

chine without the suds, in a very few minutes they 
will become so shrunken that they will be almost worth- 
less; or, if the suds become too hot, the same result 
will follow. Therefore, when washing flannels, one 
must be certain of what he is about, as a little care- 
lessness or negligence may cause a great amount of 
damage. 



— 238 



CHAPTER 8. 

WASHING COLOKED SHIKTS. 

There are a great many shirts on the market mad& 
of colored goods, with the colors either printed or 
woven. While some of the materials have very per- 
manent colors, others have colors which are exceed- 
ingly fngitive and delicate, and unless the laundry- 
man is skilled in handling this class of goods, he will 
be called upon to settle many claims for damages on 
account of faded shirts. Therefore it is well to be 
conservative in the matter of handling colored goods^, 
and all kinds should be treated by the same method 
as is necessary to successfully handle the most delicate 
goods. 

There are two kinds of dyes used in making this 
colored stuff. One is an acid color, and the other an 
alkaline color. The acid colors are brightened by 
acid, and are faded by alkali, and the alkaline colors 
are brightned by alkali and faded by acid. As both 
kinds come into the laundry promiscuously, the only 
safe method is to subject the goods to a neutral process. 
That is, to use neutral soap and no acid. There should 
be no acid present in the starch, neither should the 
goods be soured in washing. Extremes of heat cause 
fading. Colored goods should be washed in neutral 
soap and lukewarm suds. The suds should be free 
and plentiful. Never allow over 150 degrees of heat, 
and rinse well in lukewarm water. It is necessary to 



— 239 — 

run in suds one-half hour, rinse in warm water, and 
give the goods a second suds for another half hour. 
Then thoroughly rinse in lukewarm water and extract. 
This class of goods usually has collars and cuffs to 
match. The collars and cuffs should be washed with 
the shirts. 

There is another class of shirts which are more 
difficult to handle than the all-over colored shirt. 
These are the shirts with a colored bosom and a white 
body. This is one of the most unsatisfactory shirts 
the laundryman has to contend with. To get a pure 
white body and preserve the color of the bosom is a 
problem which has never been solved. If you bleach 
the body you destroy the coloring in the bosom, and 
if you preserve the color of the bosom you get a yellow 
body. Of course the thing to do is to preserve the 
bosom and take chances on the color of the body, but 
such things are the "bugbear" of the laundryman. 
About all that can be done with this shirt is to wash 
it in neutral soap in the same manner as has been 
described for all-over colored shirts, and, after the 
goods have been thoroughly rinsed, it is well to blue 
them slightly with ultramarine blue. This color will 
work without an acid, but there are difficulties in 
handling it, as it is an insoluble blue and is easily 
precipitated. It spots and streaks more easily than 
aniline, but it is about the only blue that can be used 
in a neutral process. If too much of this color is 
used it will cause the goods to look dark and grimy. 
About all that can be done with this class of shirts 
is to wash them clean, and use a little tinge of ultra- 
marine blue to counteract the disagreeable yellow effect 
in the bodv. 



— 240 — 

There is another class of shirts which is still more 
difficult to launder than any already referred to. These 
are fancy shirts having soft silk or cotton bosoms. 
Many of these shirts are extremely delicate in material 
and color, and they require the utmost care in laun- 
dering. They are originally laundered without wash- 
ing, and wdien the laundryman gets them to relaunder 
he has a difficult task if he would in any Avay restore 
the original character and appearance of the shirt. 
This class of goods must receive extreme care in all 
the processes of laundering, and especially in the wash- 
room. 

The greatest proportion of this class of shirts is 
made in the medium and cheaper grades. Very few 
of the best grades are found on the market. The best 
grade consists of those in which the whole shirt is 
made of the same material as the bosom. This shirt 
is comj^aratively easy to launder, as the goods are of 
better quality in texture and color. The medium and 
cheaper grades have fancy bosoms with bodies printed 
to match or with liodies made of white niaterial. It is 
the medium and cheai^er grades that try the patience and 
the skill of the laundryman. 

When these goods are first placed on sale from the 
manufacturer they look very nice, but when they have 
gone through the ordinary laundry they are scarcely 
recognizable, and the result is that the laundryman 
gets the blame. It is impossible for any laundry to 
wash and relaunder this shirt and have it look any- 
thing like it did when new. The laundryman may 
make a nice job of it if he is careful, but the shirt 
will never look the same after it has been washed as 
it did when new. 



— 241 — 

The washing of these shirts is about the same as 
the process for washing all-over colored shirts. They 
should be handled very gently and not run too long. 
Fancy bosoms having a white body should be washed 
the same as has been described for stiff colored bosoms 
with white bodies. There is nothing complicated 
about washing these goods. The only particular thing 
required is careful handling. They should be placed 
in the extractor in bunches to prevent any strain which 
would cause damage to the delicate material. The 
real skill in laundering these shirts is in the starching 
and ironing, which processes will be discussed in the 
departments allotted to them. 

The common negligee shirt, either madras or per- 
cale, is a comparatively easy shirt to launder. It is 
washed in the same manner as the colored all-over 
shirt. If there are collars and cuns to match, they 
should be washed with the shirts. 

About the hardest thing to wash is a lady's white 
skirt. In many instances it is almost impossible to 
get this garment clean around the bottom. They usu- 
ally become very much soiled from dust and mud- 
stains and the stain from the shoe leather. In order 
to thoroughly remove this discoloration and dirt some- 
thing more has to be done than simply to wash it. It 
.is advisable to soak this garment in lukewarm suds, 
having it charged to quite an extent with chlorine, 
and, after soaking it for several hours, rub those parts 
which are very much soiled on a washboard, using a 
good, strong rubbing soap. After this has been done 
the garment may be washed in the ordinary way, and 
it will usually come out clean and white. 

In Avashinc ladies' underwear it is advisable to 



— 242 — 

use a certain amount of bleach in order to j^reserve the 
whiteness. Nothing pleases a lady more than to have 
her underwear white and clean. Therefore it is better 
to wash it in the same manner as a white shirt, with 
the exception of the skirt, which needs additional 
attention. 

Dark-colored flannels and black stockings should 
never be washed with anything white, as the lint from 
the white goods destroys the appearance of the other 
garments, and the color from the black goods is liable 
to crock the white garments. Cotton stockings should 
not be 'washed with woolen stockings, but they should 
be washed separately, as they must receive a stronger 
washing action, and a stocking is something that must 
be washed well or it will not be clean, and will remain 
hard and stiff. Stockings usually become very much 
soiled by perspiration, and receive a peculiar odor 
owing to the nature of the garment and the portion 
of anatomy on which it is worn. It is necessary, when 
possible, to thoroughly scald them, but of course this 
is not practical in woolen stockings ; therefore it is 
necessary to sort the cotton from the wool and to wash 
them separately. They should then be well extracted 
and dried quickly. 

The matter of washing table-linen, sheets, pillow- 
cases, etc., will not be treated here, but it will come 
under the head of methods of the washroom in mangle 
work. 

All miscellaneous goods, such as ladies' colored 
dresses, colored skirts, aprons and pieces of that kind, 
should be washed in the same manner as described 
for all-over colored shirts. Miscellaneous white work, 
ladies' waists, white vests and duck coats and pants 



— 243 — 

should all be washed by the same method as described 
for white shirts. 

Lace curtains may be washed in a machine j^ro- 
vided that they are handled carefully. They should 
have free suds made of soap of ordinary strength, but 
before svidsing they should be rinsed in lukewarm 
water, which will practically remove all the dirt and 
dust, as they are of loose material, and any foreign 
substance is easily removed. It is well, however, to 
give them a short suds first, to remove the more per- 
manent stains, after which rinse them well in lukewarm 
water. They should then receive a slight starching 
in the machine, or by hand in the tub, judgment being 
used as to the amount of starch to be used. Some 
people like them stiffer than others, and it depends 
entirely on the desire of the customer. After they are 
starched they should be well extracted and stretched 
on frames, like that in Fig. 75, to dry. 




Fie. 76. r.ACE CtTRTAIN FRAMES. 

(Camden & Philadelphia Soap Co.) 



— 244 — 



CHAPTER 9. 

THE STAECIIROOM. 

The general plan for a starchrooni for custom laun- 
dry work is practically the same as a starchrooni for 
new work, which has already been described in Part 
I, Chapt-er 4. The machinery, however, may differ 
considerably, as it is not necessary to have as great 
mechanical force to starch old work as it is to starch 
new. Goods, after once being washed, take the starch 
more easily, and therefore it is advisable to have ma- 
chines with which the action is less severe on the fiber ; 
and another jioiiit is that old or custom work does not 
repuire to be starched as stiff as new work, as it is gen- 
erally worn soon after being laundered, and retains 
its shape and stiffness long enough to meet the require- 
ments of existing conditions. Again, a man does not 
want a garment as stiff to wear as it is necessary to have 
it in order to preserve its shape and stiffness when it is 
first laundered to sell. In view of all these facts, 
machines having a milder action are generally found 
in starchrooms equipped ' for starching custom work. 

There are various machines made for starching 
shirts, all of which have been brought to the highest 
stage of perfection and are an evolution, and not a 
sudden invention. There are two principles involved 
in the various shirt starching machines ; one is rubbing 
and the other is pressure. The latter is the easier on 
the garment and causes less wear, while it is true that 



— 245 — 

the machine with the rubbing principle may be so ad- 
justed that the wear is reduced to a minimum. 

The first machines, which employed the principle 
of rubbing the starch into the goods were practically 
goods destroyers. About the first of this class of ma- 
chines was one invented for starching new shirts before 
thin cooking starch was invented. It was designed for 
the purpose of rubbing the thick cold starch into the 
fiber. Before this machine was brought out the starch- 
ing, of shirts was done entirely by hand. 

Its mechanism consisted in having two heavy corru- 
gated wooden surfaces rubbing the face of each other 
and moving in opposite directions. These wooden sur- 
faces were attached to arms, which were centered on a 
shaft and extended back to receive a crank or cam action. 
By means of foot power these wooden surfaces were 
brought in contact and pressure applied while in mo- 
tion. The shirt was doubled together with the bosom 
bunched, and held in this condition by the hands. It 
was then dipped in the starch placed between these 
wooden surfaces, pressure applied and the starclj rub- 
bed in. 

This principle is carried out in modern machines 
but it is so a^Dplied as to do very little injury to the 
goods. The rubbing is done while the bosom is im- 
mersed in the hot starch, requiring less pressure of the 
rubbing surfaces as the hot starch works into the goods 
easily. As the goods are in the liquid starch the starch 
naturally penetrates by its own pressure against the 
surface of the goods. 

Another of the first inventions in shirt starching 
machinery consisted of a rubbing principle differently 
applied. The mechanical construction consisted in a 



— 246 — 




Fig. 76. BRACE BOSOM STARCHER. 

(American Laundry Machinery Co.) 



— 247 — 

revolving irregular cylinder running in pressure con- 
tact with an endless belt or apron, the cylinder running 
faster than the apron and thus causing a rubbing action. 
The bosom was placed over the apron, starch applied, 
and the bosom run under the cylinder which rubbed 
the starch in. This machine was also designed to be 
used with thick-cooked starch and was very hard on 
the material. ]Srew work was strong enough to stand 
its action, but it was never a success on old 
work owing to the fact that old work could not stand its 
severe action. These two machines, together with a ma- 
chine having corrugated wooden rolls running in con- 
tact, v^'ere the only machines used for starching shirt 
bosom.s before thin cooking starch was invented. 

After thin cooking starch was brought out, an inno- 
vation was made in shirt starching machinery, and in 
collar starching machines. The old principle of rul)- 
bing was still adhered to and embodied in the modern 
shirt starching machines. 

About this time a machine was invented in which 
the i^rinciple of pressure for forcing the starch into the 
fibre instead of rubbing was iised. The invention in 
this machine consisted in the use of a rubber pad having 
numerous minute cells. The starch w^as applied to the 
surface of this pad, which filled the cells. The article 
'to be starched was placed on this pad, a perforated 
roller passed over the article, and pressure applied 
which drove the goods against the rubber cells, compress- 
ing their walls, and forcing the starch into the goods. 
This was an innovation in starching machinery, and 
has proven a success, especially with custom work. 
Its greatest recommendation is that it caused no injury 
to the goods. The Brace Starcher, shown in Fig. 76, 
employs this principle. 



— 248 — 

With other forms of starching machines the goods 
had to be taken from the machine and wiped, while on 
this machine a device was attached which wiped the 
shirt before it was removed from the machine, lessen- 
ing handling of the goods. 

The above principle was enlarged upon by other 
manufacturers, who brought out a machine with the 
arrangements somewhat reversed. In place of the rub- 
ber pad they used a rubber roll having the same rubber 
cells. This rubber roll was housed in a tank of starch, 
and when the machine was not in use the roll con- 
tinued to revolve in the starch tank. The shirt bosom 
was pulled over a solid board having no cloth, but simply 
the plain surface of the metal board. When the shirt 
was in posftion the machine was thrown into gear, the 
rubber roll brought out from its tank of starch and 
rolled over the surface of the bosom, the starch ad- 
hering to the cells of the rubber. When pressure was 
applied the cell walls were compressed and the starch 
forced into the bosom. 

This last-described machine is exemplified in the 
Hagen Shirt Starcher, Fig. 77, and is fast becoming 
a general favorite among a great many laundrymen. 
It is preferred on account of its cleanliness,' ease 
of operation, because it produces no damage or wear 
on the goods, and a saving of starch. When the 
shirt leaves this machine it is starched and wiped ready 
for the dryroom. As the roll passes over the surface of 
the bosom the wrinkles nearly all disappear, making 
it a very rapid machine when one considers the fact that 
all other machines require wiping and wrinkles re- 
moved after the shirt has been starched. 



249 — 




Fig. 77. HAGEN BOSOM STARCSBB. 

(A. T. Hagen Co.) 



— 250 — 

Makers of this class of machinery also make a band- 
starcher to starch the wristbands independently of the 
bosoms, and although they can be starched at the same 
time as the shirt, it is not convenient to do so. The 
band-starcher has the same principle of rubber cells, 
and employs a rubber roller running in contact with 
band-starcher has the same principle of rubber cells. 
The cell walls are compressed, and starch forced in, in 
the same as in starching the bosoms. 

In all rubbing starching machines now in use, the 
shirt bosom is doubled, placed between the rubbers, 
and receives a rubbing action while the bosom is im- 
mersed in the starch. Some of these machines have 
roll attachments which hold the shirts, and when the 
shirt is removed the rolls squeeze out the surplus starch. 
Most of them, however, have no rubber rolls, and the 
surplus starch has to be squeezed out by hand. " When 
the machine is open to receive the shirt the machine is 
not in motion. When it is closed up and brought in 
contact with the shirts, the rubbing surfaces are set in 
motion, moving in opposite directions, rubbing a shirt 
bosom on each side. These surfaces are held in con- 
tact by light springs, which cause no undue pressure 
to injure the goods, and give a yielding pressure to 
accommodate the different thicknesses of the goods. 
The chief thing to recommend this machine is its ex- 
treme simplicity and cheapness, together with great 
durability. More machines of this class are used 
today than any other, it being the universal tyj:^e for 
the custom laundry. The Bishop Starcher shown in 
Fig. 78 is of this class, as is also The Illini, Fig. 79. 

Other types of shirt starching machines have #lready 
been descril>ed in Part T, (^hapter 4. Machines for 



— 251 




Fig, 78. BISHOP SHIRT STAKCHEB. 
(G. H. Bishop.) 



— 252 — 




Tie. 79. ILLINI SHTRT STARCHER. 

(T. L. Knudtson & Co.) 



i 



— 25o — 

starching collars and cuffs have also been described. 
What has been said about them in regard to new work 
holds good in regard to old work, so it will not be 
necessary to further describe them here. The arrange- 
ment should be practically the same and the utensils 
the same, and what has been said in regard to starch 
cooking and cookers may also be applied here. 



254 — 



CHAPTER 10. 



STAKCHKOOM METHODS. 



It is not necessary to use as expensive a starch in 
the custom laundry as it is in new work. As has 
already been stated it does not require the stiffness 
that is necessary for new work. iSTeither is custom 
work affected by moisture the same as new work, as it 
does not lie as long before wearing, and consequently 
it remains in good condition until worn. Many of 
our leading laundries are using nothing but clear corn- 
starch, and are producing tine work. The invention of 
thin cooking cornstarch has enabled the laundrymen to 
get good results with corn alone. However, a little 
wheat may be added to impart toughness and flexibility, 
especially in starch for collars and cuffs. For general 
purposes the author would recommend the use of one- 
third wheat to two-thirds corn, at the rate of 12 ounces 
to the gallon for shirt and collar work. This combina- 
tion produces a firm, flexible stiffness without blister- 
ing or breaking, and may be used with any starching 
machine, or easily worked by hand. It penetrates the 
goods quickly and is wiped easily, requiring no special 
effort to produce first-class results. 

In the use of a clear cornstarch there is danger of 
unevenness in the work. It produces a stiff, hard finish 
which is liable to crack in turning or in folding. It 
absorbs moisture very rapidly, and the goods require 
greater care in dampening, as the natural tendency is 
to cause too great a dampness for proper ironing. 



— 255 — 

Good starch having a proportionate amount of wheat 
gives better satisfaction to the customers, as it holds its 
shape better when it is being worn, and does not ab- 
sorb the moisture so readily from the body. Perspira- 
tion does not penetrate as quickly, and laundries using 
wheat starch in the ratio given above are not troubled 
as much with yellow stains in the seams of collars. 
This is true because collars starched with wheat starch 
do not absorb as much perspiration, and it is the per- 
spiration which stains the seams of the collars. In 
reference to starch cooking see Part I, Chapter 4. 

The operation of shirt-starching machines having 
ihe pressure principle which has already been described 
Is as follows : In the case of a machine having the 
rubber bed on the bosom-plate the starch is applied to 
the cells of the rubber bed or pad by the use of a com- 
mon brush which is dipped into the hot starch and 
brushed over the rubber pad. The bosom is then 
Btretched on the rubber pad in a manner similar to 
stretching it on the bosom board of an ironing machine. 
!rhe neckband is brought together and laid flat on the 
bosom board, -and while the shirt is in this position it 
is run under a perforated brass roll which has a similar 
position in the starching machine to the heated iron 
roller in the bosom ironer. The pressure of the perfo- 
rated brass rollers coming in contact with the shirt bosom, 
forces the starch into the bosom by compressing the 
rubber cellwalls which are under the bosom, and which 
have been previously filled with starch. The bed of 
the machine carries the shirt bosom under the roller 
and automatically returns it to its first position, after 
which it is ready to be finished preparatory to drying. 



— 256 — 

This operation removes many of the wrinkles in 
the goods, pressing the plies firmly together, and mak- 
ing it a comparatively easy task to remove the remain- 
ing wrinkles in the bosom. When the return movement 
of the bed takes place a cloth-covered roll is automati- 
■cally placed in contact w^ith the shirt bosom, and wipes 
the greater portion of the surjdus starch from it as the 
shirt is brought back to its original first position. Very 
little hand wiping is therefore required. 

Generally, one passage forward and back is sufficient 
to starch a shirt bosom. Open-front shirts are starched 
in a similar manner, with the exception that the starch 
has to be applied to the surface of the bosom which 
comes under the upper lap. Otherwise a soft streak 
will occur in the upper lap directly over the line where 
it joins the under lap, or where it lies over the under lap. 

In the other style of machine, where the rubber 
<?ell8 are on a rubber roller and caused to roll over the 
surface of the shirt bosom, the mode of applying the 
bosoms in the machine is similar, wdth the exception 
that no starch has to be applied with the brush. The 
shirt is brought on the bosom plate in practically the 
same way. Then the rubber roll with the cellular sur- 
face, which has previously been filled with starch 
by revolving in a starchpan, is brought out and made to 
roll over the shirt bosom. The principle of starching 
is the same, only in one machine the starch is pressed 
imder the bosom, while in the other it is pressed on the 
outside of the bosom. As this rubber roll passes over 
the surface of the bosom, it thoroughly saturates the 
bosom with starch and practically removes all the wrin- 
kles. Little or no wiping is required to finish the job. 
The starch for these machines must be used hot in 



— 257 — 

order that it may thoroiighly penetrate the fiber. If 
the starch is cold it is simply forced into the meshes 
of the goods, producing a soft, flabby bosom. 

One of the principal points to recommend this ma- 
chine is its cleanliness in starching, and its starching 
only the portion of the shirt desired to be starched. It 
leaves the yoke soft and the body free of surplus starch. 
In other words, it simply starches the neckband and 
bosoms, and only that portion of the yoke where it 
joins the bosom, leaving the body of the shirt soft and 
clean. This is the ideal way to starch a shirt which 
is to be worn immediately. 

In the first-described machine it is usually custom- 
ary to have a small copper jacket kettle connected 
with the steam supply placed adjacent to the machine. 
The starch is placed in this kettle and is kept hot by 
steam. In the other machine that part which contains 
the starch has a steam chamber under it, which keeps 
the starch hot all the time. 

It is usually customary to starch the wristbands o^ 
shirts, where these machines are used, before the bosom 
is starched, and on an independent machine, which has 
already been described. Afterwards the bosom is 
starched, and the shirt hung in the dryroom to dry. 

The operation of the machines already described 
as having a rubbing action is as follows : The ma- 
chine is filled nearly full of hot starch. The shirt 
bosom is bunched together by gathering the shirt in the 
hand at the side lines of the bosom, then the wristband 
of the shirt is placed against the bosom, and bosom and 
wristband submerged in the starch in the machine. 
The cover of the machine is then ,dra\vn together, and 
a circular opening in the edges of the cover Avhere it 



— 258 — 

joins allows the cover to come closely together and the 
same time hold the shirts in this bunched condition. 
The rubbing-plates and frames are automatically set 
in motion, rubbing the starch into the goods. These 
rubbing-plates are also partially submerged in the starch 
and operate directly under the cover of the machine. 

While the machine is rubbing the starch into the 
shirt the operator has time to bunch another shirt 
ready for the machine. Hence, by the time the oper- 
ator has bunched another shirt the shirt in the machine 
will have received sufficient starching and will be ready 
to be removed. The cover of the machine is then re- 
moved, the oj^eration automatically stopping the motion, 
and the shirt is taken out, at the same time squeezing 
from it a portion of the surplus starch. This 
squeezing-out process is usually done by hand, but in 
some machines small rubber rolls perform this function 
as the operator j)nlls the shirt back through them. 

Machines having rubber rolls are desirable, as it is 
quite impossible to wring out all the starch by hand. 
Especially is this true when the starch is too hot. Some 
operators use a stick to great advantage in case the 
starch is too hot for the hands. The stick is used by 
holding the shirt on the edge of the opening of the 
machine and stripping the starch by forcing the stick 
downward and gradually turning the shirt. Several 
, such motions quite effectually remove the starch and 
do not burn the operator's hands. This method enables 
laundrjTiien to use hotter starch than otherwise with 
a machine having no rubber roll attachment. 

The shirts have to be drawn on to a bosom board 
and finished in the same manner as has already 
been described in Part I, Chapter 4. The hanging 



— 259 — 

and the handling of the shirts after they are starched 
may be the same as has already been described in Part 
I, Chai)ter 4, 

The relative merits of the dipwheel and the collar 
and cnff starching machine for starching collars and 
cuffs have already been described. For old work the 
dipwheel method is very practical, and is used in a 
great many laundries even where the question of econ- 
omy and of quality of the work has been fully con- 
sidered. 

There are various makes and shapes of dipwheels. 
They are all a sort of tumbling machine which simply 
pounds the starch into the goods by concussion. The 
concussion is produced by the falling of the mass of 
goods and the starch from one end of the machine to 
the other as it revolves. The cylinder, the oblong and 
the triangular forms of the dipwheel produce the same 
results by the same process. One thing is assured by 
proper use of the dipwheel. There will be no blistered 
or soft collars and cuffs. The tendency of this method 
is to produce a firm, solid and heavy collar or cuff, 
but its economy, as compared to the regular collar starch- 
ing machine for custom work, has often been questioned. 
There are many who are of the opinion that the dip- 
wheel method is as cheap as any, for the reason that 
the lots may be so arranged that while one lot is being 
finished another lot is being dipped. Hence, practi- 
cally no time is lost in dipping and in the finishing 
after the dipwheel. If, however, the goods have been 
properly extracted, it does not require much more work 
or expenditure of time than finishing after the average 
collar and cuff starching machine. 

Let no one think that the writer desires to depre- 



— 2G0 — 

ciate the collar and cult" starching machines. They 
possess a great amount of merit, and have numerous 
advantages, especially in certain classes of work, and 
they are, generally speaking, savers of time. It may, 
however, be said to those who are partial to the dip- 
wheel, and who desire to continue to use it, that they 
are not so far behind the times as they would be should 
they fail to adopt improved machines which have greater 
merit in regard to quality of work and cheapness of 
operation and in the quantity of work produced. The 
dipwheel method is not so much of a business way of 
doing work as is the collar-starching-machine method, 
and the method of starching cuffs and collars by the 
modern starcher appeals to the snug and thrifty busi- 
ness man. All other things being equal, this fact alone 
is destined to bring the collar starching machines into 
universal favor and to bring about the gradual disuse 
of the dipAvheel. 

Collars and cuffs which are to be starched with the 
dipwheel are ready for that machine directly after they 
are well extracted. They may be placed in the ma- 
chine without any preparation. The dipwheel should 
be filled until two-thirds of the space within the ma- 
chine is occupied with dry collars, and then starch 
should be added sufficiently to thoroughly saturate the 
goods and to leave a small surplus. If there is too 
much starch in the machine it will not starch well, as 
the starch cushions the fall of the goods and prevents 
the heavy pounding which- is necessary to make them 
stiff. If there is too small an amount of starch, the 
goods will be blistered, as there will not be enough 
starch to fill the goods, the goods absorbing all the 
starch in the machine. It is well to run the machine 



J 



— 261 — 

a few minutes after it has been loaded and then to stop 
it and to look at the condition of the contents. When 
everything is right in the dipwheel, no surplus starch 
will be seen above the surface of the goods, but it will 
be a soft, yielding mass which can be moved around 
easily. If the goods are packed together in a hard 
mass it indicates that there is not enough starch, and 
more should be added. 

Wheat and cornstarch in the proportion to one of 
the former to two of the latter, well cooked and made, 
12 ounces to the gallon, is about the right thing for 
collar work. 

A dipwheel should run not less than one half hour, 
and its speed should not be too fast, as there is con- 
siderable friction between the goods and the starch. 
If the machine is run too fast, the centrifugal force will 
carry the load completely around, and prevent falling 
of the goods. When a dipwheel is properly doing its 
work a heavy jar is felt on the floor or foundation 
each time the mass within falls from side to side. 
When the goods have become thoroughly starched they 
will have taken all or nearly all of the starch in the 
machine, leaving them thoroughly charged with starch. 

To try to wipe them in this condition is too great 
a task on account of there being so much surplus starch, 
and therefore it is well to run the goods in a slow 
revolving extractor to remove the surplus. The ex- 
tractor must not run too rapidly, or it will extract too 
much starch, and the goods will be in a soft condition 
after being ironed. 

There are several manufacturers who are putting 
out an extractor made especially for extracting collars 
and cuffs after they have been taken from the dip- 



— 262 — 

wheel. These machines have a copper curb, making 
it possible to save the starch which is extracted and 
to use it over again for other purposes, whereas in an 
iron-curbed extractor the rust and dirt from the iron 
renders the starch useless. The starch which is ex- 
tracted from collars ma}^ be used for starching shirts, 
aprons or any similar articles, but it should never be 
used for collars or cuffs, as its greatest strength has 
been removed in the first operation. This extractor is 
usually made 16 or 18 inches in diameter, and it should 
be run not faster than 500 revolutions per minute. 
There are connections made to the curb of the machine 
through wliich the surplus starch flows and from whence 
it is discharged into a pail or any convenient receptacle. 

After the goods have been run for about ten min- 
utes in the extractor, they are ready for finishing and 
wiping. There should be starch enough remaining in 
the goods to give them a good starchy feeling, so that 
when a piece is laid on the table, the plies pressed 
together, and the surface rubbed over with the hand, 
the surface will be slippery and offer no resistance. 
There should be starch enough present to make a lubri- 
cant which will allow the passage of the hand over 
the surface of the goods without friction or producing 
any wrinkles in the goods. If they feel dry and wrin- 
kles rub in easily when being rubbed by the hand, it 
indicates that too much starch has been extracted. 

If they are found to be properly starched and ex- 
tracted, the load should be dumped on a finishing table. 
The operator then takes each piece and straightens 
it out, at the same time rubbing it .lengthwise very 
firmly and carefully with the hand, pressing the plies 
together and forcing out any air that may be in the 



263 — 




Tig 80. STARCH EXTRACTOR. 

(F. M. Watkins Co.) 



— 264 — 

interlining. It will be observed, many times, that when 
passing the hand over the collar there will be a pocket 
of air between the linings, and the pocket will move 
from place to place as the hand passes over. In order 
to remove this air, the palm of the hand must press 
the entire width of the collar, and move gradually 
towards the end, forcing the air ahead of it until it 
is driven into one corner of the collar. Then slowly 
and carefully pressing against the air-pocket, force the 
air through the plies of the goods, and the interlinings 
will then come together. 

When the air bubble has been cornered the operator 
must be very careful or it will escape him and get 
back into the body of the collar, and the whole oper- 
ation will have to be gone over again. The air bubble 
behaves something like the mercury in the puzzle of 
the "spider and the fly." In very fine linen collars 
the bubbles are sometimes quite troublesome, because 
the meshes of the goods are so tightly woven, and when 
they are filled with starch they are practically airtight. 
But the air must be removed or the goods will be blis- 
tered when ironed. 

After the air has been removed and the plies are 
stuck together, any wrinkles in the surface of the col- 
lar or the cuff must be distributed and the surface 
rubbed down. A little wrinkle may be easily removed 
by the finger nails, but if the wrinkles are troublesome, 
a little starch rubbed on the surface will often aid 
in distributing them. A good operator has a certain 
knack about rubbing a collar that makes the wrinkles 
disappear like magic. 

It is not good laundry practice to carry all the full- 
ness, to the end and allow it to wrinkle over and 



- - 265 — 

cover the stitching. A colhir or cuff which is well 
starched should show the stitching all the way round. 
Any fullness in the surface which is the cause of wrin- 
kles, should be worked toward the center of the collar, 
and not toward the end, and when it is in the center 
it should be distributed. There is a natural tendency 
in rubbing a collar to rub all the fullness toward the 
end ; there is also a tendency with the average operator 
to leave it there. 

Surface wrinkles are easily gotten rid of, but welts 
or wrinkles in the interlinings are more troublesome. 
It is sometimes quite impossible to remove the wrinkles 
in the interlining. An effectual method is to use a 
bone plait raiser, and scrape the welt to one side or 
one end. In moving it around it will usually disappear. 
The reason for a wrinkle being in the interlining is 
because the surface has shrunk more than the inter- 
lining, leaving the interlining full. Many times the 
wrinkle in the interlining may be removed by stretch- 
ing the piece parallel to the wrinkles. That is to say, 
if the wrinkle runs endwise, stretch the collar cross- 
wise, and vice versa. 

After the collar has been well pressed together and 
the wrinkles all removed, wipe it very gently with a 
soft sponge or a fine sponge cloth and lay it on a clean 
portion of the table, with the inside of the collar down. 
Then, when the next piece is wiped, lay it on top of the 
first piece, with the inside of the collar up, bringing 
the face of the goods always together. Wiping collars 
and cuffs is a very particular process. If they are not 
wiped clean they will present a grimy appearance 
when ironed. If they are wiped too much the ten- 
dency is for them to be soft. 



— 266 - 

Starch that is to be used in a dip wheel should contain 
about one-fourth ounce of acetic acid to each gallon of 
starch, and a little bluing should be added. If this is 
not done, the hot starch will remove the color which has 
already been given to the goods. Of course it is not wise 
to use much acid for colored goods, and precautions 
should also be taken in starching colored goods in a dip 
wheel, for if the starch is too hot and the machine run 
long enough to starch them thoroughly, it is very cer- 
tain that they will be faded. For colored work the 
starching machines are far superior, but as the average 
laundry gets very few colored collars and cuffs, they 
could be starched separately by hand. This class of goods 
is usually not so fine and takes the starch easily. If the 
goods are dipped and allowed to soak for half an hour 
or so in a good strong starch which is not too hot, they 
may be taken out, rubbed carefully by hand and wiped, 
assuring very satisfactory results. 

As the subject of collar starching machines has been 
fully considered in Part I, Chapter 4, the methods 
only will be considered here. 

Collars and cuffs that are to be run through a starch- 
ing machine have to be first straightened out and laid in 
piles for the sake of convenience, and to ensure rapid- 
ity of feeding them to the machine. The starch is made 
the same as for the dip wheel, 12 or 14 ounces to the gal- 
lon, and it is kept at a high temperature in the machine. 
The operator who feeds the machine receives the goods 
from the oj)erator who straightens them out and lays 
them on the carrier belts one at a time. Then, if the 
machine is to be worked to its fullest capacity, the car- 
rier belts should be practically covered with goods. 
The goods now pass through the machine and are 



— 267 — 

filled with starch. I'he tendency of the machine is 
to flatten the goods and to press the plies together, and 
to a certain extent to remove some of the wrinkles which 
the pressure would naturally do. 

There is usually some sort of stripping device which 
removes the surplus starch from the goods as they 
come out of the machine, hut in order to have stiff 
work it is necessary that the goods come out consider- 
ably charged with starch, apj^arently having too much 
starch left on them. If they are left too dry there 
will be a delay in finishing, as it requires a certain 
amount of starch to act as a lubricant, so that when 
rubbing them the hands pass over the goods without 
causing them to bunch up or wrinkle. Furthermore, 
as the goods are hot, and as they are finished directly 
after they come from the machine, the suri:)lus starch 
is usually absorbed when the goods are rubbed in fin- 
ishing. The operators who finish the goods stand near 
the delivery end of the machine, having the finishing 
take them off as they come from the machine. It re- 
quires usually about four finishes to take care of the 
product of the average collar and cuff starcher. 

The same amount of care is required in finishing 
goods which come from a collar starcher as when they 
come from a dipwheel, although there are several manu- 
facturers who claim their machine will do finishing 
as well as starching, but upon investigation of the 
merits of many such machines it is found that their 
claims are not borne out in practice. Perhaps satis- 
factory results may be obtained up to a certain stand- 
ard, but to obtain the acme of collar starching requires 
that human intelligence be a part of the process. 



— 268 — 

It is the usual arrangement to have bars which fit 
the dryroom racks hung near the operators and finish- 
ers. Then, as the goods are finished, instead of laying 
them on the table, they are hung on a bar; and when 
a bar is filled, it is hung in the dryroom. 

Some of the circumstances which make collar starch- 
ers a failure are, the starch has become too cold, the 
stripping device is too tight, the goods are not extracted 
enough, condensed steam gets into the starch, and the 
starch has been used too long without replenishing. 

A difiiculty with which every laundryman has to 
contend is the fading of colored goods, and the 
principal cause of this trouble is improper starching. 
Either the goods are starched with starch that is too 
hot or that contains acid. Many of the print goods 
which are made into shirts will fade in the presence 
of acid, even when the acid is used in very small quan- 
tities. The safest way to starch this class of goods is 
to sort them from the regular work, starch them with 
a neutral starch, to which no acid of any description 
has been added, and never to allow the starch to be 
hotter than one can bear his hand in. 

Even with all possible precautions in washing and 
starching, colored goods will fade, and to fade them as 
little as possible is all that can be expected. When 
manufacturers claim that their goods will not fade they 
make a claim which is not justified by circumstances. 
The statement should not be accepted by the people, 
and they should not expect that their goods will be 
returned as bright as they were when first made. Laun- 
dries can handle colored work, and by proper treatment 
will not fade them so that the change will be noticed, 
unless the goods should be compared with the original 



— 269 — 

I)iece of cloth. Constant relaundering, however, will 
cause colored garments to fade, but the change made each 
time is so small that it will cause no comment. What 
the laundryman has to guard against is the excessive 
fading of such goods in one laundering. This point 
has been fully covered in other portions of this work, 
and the discussion will not be continued further. 

Shirts and collars and cuffs are about the only ar- 
ticles of importance to be handled in the starchroom. 
Of course, ladies' waists are quite an important factor, 
but as ,the styles change from year to year, it is im- 
possible to suggest any exact formula for handling 
them. The starching of ladies' underclothing is a mat- 
ter with which almost every washerwoman is familiar 
and as there is nothing out of the ordinary about it, spe- 
cial instructions are unnecessary. The starching of soft 
and of negligee shirts has been fully considered in 
Part I, Capter 24. 

As the subject "The Dryroom" has been fully 
covered in Part I, Chapter 5, the discussion will not 
be repeated here, but the author will pass directly to 
a description of the methods employed in the damp- 
ening-room. 



— 270 — 



CHAPTER 11. 

THE DAMPENING-ROOM, 

In laundering old work one is handicapped by the 
requirements of the trade to which the laundrynian 
eaters. Work in a custom laundry has usually to he 
hurried, and not so much time may be given to it for 
dampening. In consequence the most improved meth- 
ods are essential, and even they are inadequate to thor- 
oughly dampen the work in the time in which some 
of it has to be done. Work has usually to be ironed 
the same day it is dampened, but whenever time will 
23ermit, it is advisable that goods should be dampened 
not less than ten hours. It takes about that time for 
the moisture to thoroughly penetrate every fiber. Of 
course, work may be ironed fairly well if dampened 
a shorter time, but the degree of quality of the finished 
work usually corresj)onds to the length of time the 
goods are dampened. However, as one is required to 
do work in a short time, the most approved methods 
should be adopted. 

For short-time work the dampening sheet method 
is the most efficient, as it more evenly distributes the 
moisture. The moisture takes less time to saturate 
the fiber, because it does not have so far to travel, as 
is the case where goods are fed through a dampening 
machine. The dampening machine wets the goods in 
spots, and before the goods are properly dampened, 
the moisture must spread from one spot to another. 



— 271 — 

until the whole surface is moistened. With a sheet, 
however, which contains moisture evenly distributed, 
and which is laid on the goods, the moisture is imparted 
evenly, and less time is consequently required. Of 
course the use of dampening sheets is not advisable 
when there is sufficient time to allow of the goods being 
dampened by machine. The sheets should be used on 
the short-time work only, as the process is a slow one 
and more expensive than the use of the machine. 

In dampening shirts by the sheet system, the damp- 
ening sheets should be made of heavy unbleached mus- 
lin cut into pieces about a yard square. These pieces 
should be thoroughly washed and bleached before using 
them, and they should not be used more than four times 
without rewashing. They should be thoroughly satu- 
rated wuth clear water and extracted, when they are 
ready for use. There should be a dampening press 
made large enough to press a box of shirts, and to 
allow the shirts to be laid out full size. 
The shirts are dampened by first laying on 
a cloth or sheet, then putting in the . shirt 
full size without folding, then a sheet again, and so 
on, continuing to pile up the shirts with the sheets 
between them. When they are all laid in as described 
the whole mass should be run under the press and full 
pressure applied. In an hour and one half or two 
hours shirts dampened in this way will be in perfect 
condition. Collars and cuffs may be dampened by 
the same process, excepting that, instead of using the 
pieces of cloth which are employed for dampening 
shirts, a long, narrow piece is used, and the collars and 
the cuffs are rolled up in it. Thus, a row of collars 
is laid on the damp cloth and the cloth is then folded 



over once and another row of collars laid on. The 
operation is continued until the required amount is 
folded in, after which they are put in a press and 
heavy pressure applied. The position of the collars 
is exactly the same as with the shirts, there being a 
damp surface between each row of collars, which 
evenly distributes the moisture throughout. 

The subject of machine dampening has been fully 
covered in Part T, and all that need be said here is 
that it is necessary, in a custom laundry, to have a 
dampening machine for collars and cuffs which is 
independent of the shirt dampener. Manufacturers 
are building a small machine for this purpose. 

All goods should be pressed after dampening and 
should be allowed to remain in the press as long as 
possible before ironing. There are various makes of 
shirt presses. Some are provided with screws and 
springs to continue the pressure on the goods as the 
goods settle together, making a following pressure which 
is continuously being applied as the goods gradually 
contract. This style of press is made in several dif- 
ferent sizes, thus meeting the requirements of almost 
every condition. There are other presses on the mar- 
ket which are operated by hydraulic pressure. These 
work very nicely where there is a sufficient amount of 
water pressure. The nature of the press is such that 
it follows the contraction of the goods, causing as much 
pressure to bear on them at the end as at the beginning 
of the process. For the arrangement of racks and the 
plan of machines for the dampening room see Part I. 
Chapter 6. 

The dampening of ladies' clothes and all goods of 
such nature should be done with a sprayer. There are 



— 273 — 

several makes of these sprayers. Tliej are usually made 
to be attached to a rubber tube which is connected with 
the water supply. There is a hand-valve attached 
which controls the supply of water, much or little 
being allowed to pass through as desired. This plan 
is jjractically the same as the old method of sprinkling, 
excej)t that it may be done more evenly with a sprayer. 
After the goods are dampened they should be rolled 
tightly together, placed in a box covered with a damp 
cloth, and allowed to remain until they are in a con- 
dition to iron. 

Flannels or underwear should not be dampened 
but should be simplj^ pressed. This is sufficient to iron 
them all that is necessary. Handkerchiefs, towels, 
napkins and goods of that nature should be dried and 
redampened before ironing. If they are ironed di- 
rectly after they come from the extractor or a mangle 
thev will be too stiff and hard. 



274 



CHAPTER 12. 



THE iro:nixg-room. 



What has been said in connection with gas and 
power for laundering new work in Part I, may be ap- 
plied to the ironing-room where cnstoin work is to be 
ironed. Regarding machines, there are more to be 
found in the ironing-room than in any other depart- 
ment. In fact, there are machines manufactured 
to iron most everything that is sent to the laundry. 
Very little of the work requires ironing by hand, 
because competition has produced a condition mak- 
ing it almost imj)eratiye to iron everything by ma- 
chine, as hand ironing is too slow and expensive. 
Furthermore, ironing machinery has been so perfected 
that it is quite possible to iron by machine as well as 
by hand. There are some laundries, however, that 
still hold to the hand ironing methods. They get extra 
prices usually, and have a profitable business. This 
is more on account of the fact that there is a certain 
proportion of people in every community that are 
prejudiced in favor of hand ironing, and therefore 
they patronize the laundry which employs hand iron- 
ing methods. 

The subject of shirt ironing will first be taken up. 
There are machines manufactured to iron every part 
of a shirt. The most important machine being the bo- 
som-ironer, it will be considered first. All bosom-ironers 
employ the same principle in ironing. This is a re- 



— 275 — 

volving heated roll moving in contact with a padded 
surface. This principle is modified in very many 
ways in the different makes of machines, yet they all 
employ the same principle in iroii|lig. The bosom- 
ironer, already described in .Chapter 8, Part I, which 
has a reciprocating movable table, and- moves on 
only one stroke, is a machine which is well adapted for 
old work as well as for new, and is used in a great many 
custom laundries. . It is fully described in the chapter 
just mentioned. 

As this machine irons one way only, it does not 
gloss the bosom as much as a machine which irons both 
ways. In large cities the demand for low gloss or do- 
mestic finish is universal, and this type of machine is 
generally used, but in smaller towns where a high gloss 
is in demand, a machine which irons hoth on its for- 
ward and backward stroke is universally used. 

The latter type of machine irons the shirt bosom, 
in either direction. That is, the shirt is ironed as the 
bosom is carried forward and is also ironed when the 
bosom is reversed and carried backward, the hot roll 
being in contact with the bosom all the time the shirt 
is under the roll. The reversing apparatus usually 
consists of a double-belt movement, one belt being 
crossed and the other straight, and an arrangement to 
shift first one belt and then the other on to the tight 
pulley at the will of the operator, producing motion 
in either direction. Some of these machines are 
arranged to reverse automatically when the carriage 
has reached its full limit of' motion, and the same ma- 
chine may also be reversed at the will of the operator. 
Such a machine is the "Xewark," built by the S. H. 
Sinclair Co., and illustrated, in Fig. 81. 



— 276 — 




Fig. 81. "NEWARK" BOSOM IRONEK. 

(S. H. Sinclair Co.) 



1 



i 



A few years ago this type of machine was gener- 
ally operated without neckband or yokeclamp or 
stretchers. At that time this class of machine was 
known as "Polishers." Their main object being to 
polish or gloss the shirt-bosom. 

The shape and general character of the shirts was 
not formerly considered, as people seemed to think that 
if the shirts only had a "shine" on the bosom it was good 




SINCLAIR BOSOM IRONER CLAMP AND BOSOM BOARD. 

(S. H. Sinclair Co.) 

laundry work, but in these times the people are educated 
and more attention must be paid to the other details. 
Consequently, manufacturers have kept abreast of the 
demand and have made improvements in their machines 
which enable a laundryman to meet the requirements 
of his business. 

I^early all manufacturers now have neckband and 
yokeclamps and bosom-stretchers attached to their ma- 
chines. Therefore, anyone using a bosom-ironer with- 
out these attachments should not flatter himself that 
he is getting the best of the bargain in shirt-ironing. 
Thus, shape and general character is getting to be about 
as much of a factor in old work as in new. It is im- 



— 278 — 

possible to iron a shirt-bosom and give the shirt its 
proper shape without stretching the bosom, into shape 
before it is ironed. Clamping is necessary, in order that 
the shirt maj be ironed in the shape desired, and that 
it will fit the wearer and present a sightly appearance 
before it is worn. 

There are other types of machines having the reverse 
motion for ironing, which differ in construction and 
mechanical movement from those already described. 
The bosom-board, instead of being straight, forms a 
curve. The curve is the arc of a circle, and in moving 
it swings about the center of the circle. In this type 
of machine, much of the friction is removed as the car- 
riage swings on supports which are the radii of the 
circle. This arrangement does away with all tracks or 
bearings, such as are necessary in machines having a 
carriage which runs in a straight line. As it is the 
same in principle as that first described, the finish of 
the work is practically the same. An example of this 
type of ironer is the Stone^'Racer." 

In order to meet the demand for a more perfect 
machine to produce a domestic finish, manufacturers 
have made their machines with a large heated roll which 
is geared to run at or near the same surface speed as 
the bosom-board as shoA\m in Fig. 82. Xo friction on 
the ironed surface results from this arrangement, and 
on account of its larger circle the roll presents a greater 
bearing surface on the bosom. If this machine is run 
slowly enough and the work is j)roperly dampened, it 
produces practically a domestic finish. Especially is 
this true with the machine that irons one way only. 

The tendency in ironing both ways is to produce 
a gloss. As gloss is produced by polishing the mole- 



— 279 — 




Tig. 82. LARGE ROLL BOSOM IRONER. 

(Grever, KerkholT & Co.) 



— 280 — 

cules of starch, if the ironing agent is supplied from 
both sides of the molecule, a higher polish is produced 
than if it were applied from one side only, and this is 
just the difference between a machine ironing one way 
and a machine ironing both ways. 

In order to increase the polish, the machine should 
be increased in speed, for the greater the number of 
times the heated roller passes over the goods before 
they are dried, the higher will be the gloss it will im- 
part. If one wishes to try this let him reduce the speed 
of his machine to an extremely slow motion and note the 
finish ; it will be practically domestic. From this point 
gradually increase the speed, and note the finish pro- 
duced by each of the different speeds in the machine. 
The experiment may be continued until the desired 
amount of gloss is obtained. A gloss that is obtained at 
a slow speed is accomplished by ironing goods on a hard 
bed with heavy pressure. This plan is not a desirable 
one, as its tendency is to injure the goods and to draw 
the starch to the surface, j^roducing a mottled, greasy 
appearance on the surface. 

The greatest mistake one is liable to make in the 
operation of a bosom ironer is to use too much pressure. 
It kills the goods, and destroys their appearance. Laun- 
drymen usually leave the goods too dry after dampening, 
and then try to iron them by crushing the life out of the 
iWork with pressure on the bosom ironer. The bed of 
the bosom-ironer should always be soft. N^ever should 
the felt be used more than one day without changing. 
If run too long, the surface becomes hard, does not ab- 
sorb the moisture. Consequently the moisture has to es- 
cape through the bosom and a longer time is required to 
dry it, resulting in a bad effect on the finish. The felts 



4 



— ?81 




Fig. 83. FINISHING MACHINE. 

(Henrici Laundry Machinery Co.) 

should be washed and dried after they have been used, 
and then they may be used again. One should use 
all-wool felt on a bosom-ironer. The top layer should 
be of 10-oz. duck, which makes a firm, durable surface 
to iron upon. When the duck is moistened it shrinks, 
and it will not wrinkle like other material. A woven 
felt is preferable, as it can be washed without its com- 
ing to pieces. There should be a rubber covering made 



— 262- 

from rubber belting placed next the iron surface of 
the bosom board, two or three felts on top of that, and 
then the covering of duck. 

Other machines for ironing shirts have been fully 
considered in Part I, Chapter 7. All these machines 
are essentially the same, both for new and for old work, 
excepting the body ironer. Usually the bodies are 
ironed on the roll machine similar to the one described 
for ironing sleeves, and the flat body ironer is seldom 
used in old work. The yoke-setter is rarely found in 
custom laundries, as almost all old work is finished with- 
out buttoning the back neckband. The price for which 
it is laundered does not permit of expending as much 
labor on old as on new work. Consequently laundry- 
men do not button the shirts and set the yokes, although 
should the price warrant it this would be an ideal way 
of handling old work. As it is, the flat-iron, usually 
takes the place of the yoke-setter. 

Where space will permit, the machines are arranged 
practically in the same order as for new work, it being 
desirable that the work should go from one operator 
to another in the order in which the work is done. It 
is also necessary to have the same racks and tables dis- 
tributed about as for new work. 

The bosom-fixing table is not placed in the same 
position in the line of machines arranged for old as for 
new work, but it is used after the sleeves and the bodies 
are ironed. It serves not only as a bosom-fixing table, 
hut as a folding table as well. Of course if anyone 
chooses to adopt the same method for laundering old 
work, that which has been described for laundering new 
work, he will have a hosom-fixing table and a yoke-setter. 
Usually these are omitted, however, and the shirts go 



I 



283 — 




Fig. 84. FINTSHrNG MACHINE, 

(Nelson & Kreuter.) 



— 284 — 

directly from the wristband ironer to the sleeve and the 
body ironers. 

There are maehines manufactured that are known 
as finishing machines, and a great many laundries use 
them. They are designed to finish the bosom under 
the plaits and around the neckband, and to touch up any 
imperfection there may be in the bosom. One type of 
this machine is made with a gas-heated iron having a 
projecting flange which is made wedge-shaped to allow 
it to pass under the plait and iron that portion of the 
shirt that is not touched by the bosom ironer. It has 
a bosom board over which the shirt is drawn and tha 
skirt clamj)ed, the neckband being towards the oper- 
ator. The heated iron is mounted on a universally 
swinging arm which permits it to be moved to any posi- 
tion on the bosom board. To this arm pressure is ap- 
plied by means of a spring and its own weight, and, 
in order to raise it, the operator presses the foot-lever 
and releases the lever when the iron is placed in con- 
tact with the work. This heated iron has a wood-cov- 
ered handle by which the operator controls it. Such 
a table is made by the Henrici Laundry Machinery 
Co., and is shown in Fig. S3, 

Another type of machine of this character has a 
revolving heated flange mounted on a swinging arm. 
This flange revolves continuously, and when it is placed 
on the work it produces a circular ironing effect. The 
thin edges of the flange pass under the plait and iron 
the hitherto unironed portions. This machine has a bo- 
som board or table. In many cases it is used also for 
ironing the outside yokes and for creasing them Avhera 
they naturally fold. The work goes directly from this 
machine to the folding tables. The latter type is ex- 
emplified in the I^elson & Kreuter machine, Fig. 84. 



— 285 — 



CHAPTER 13. 



IRONING-EOOM METHODS. 



The methods of ironing old work are in a great 
many ways similar to those of ironing new work, the 
diiference being principally that the prices which are 
paid for laundering old work will not permit of the 
elaborate methods employed in ironing new work. 
Furthermore, the trade does not demand the kind of 
laundered shirts which are necessary to preserve shape 
and character while it is waiting to be marketed. The 
customer usually wears the shirt very soon after it is 
laundered, and about all he requires is to have clean 
shirts well ironed, with a .soft body, a soft yoke and 
a stiif, immaculate bosom. 

Shirts are handled in ironing in practically the same 
way in both cases, except, as has been said before, the 
yoke-setting and the bosom-fixing processes are not in- 
cluded. The first part ironed is usually the inside 
yoke. This is done best by hand, although many laun- 
drymen iron it successfully on the bosom ironer. The 
chief reason for not ironing the yokes on the bosom 
ironer is that it reduces the capacity of the bosom ironer, 
while the same work may be done on a roll machine 
which does not cost one-quarter as much as a bosom 
ironer. 

If the yokes are to be ironed by the bosom ironer, 
the yoke is placed across the top end of the bosom 
board with the binding of the shirt at the back where 



— 286 — 

it opens, at right angles to the bosom board. It is 
then laid towards the top of the board. The shirt is 
held in position by grasping the neckband which lies 
over the sides of the bosom board with one hand, and 
the back of the shirt with the other, holding that part 
of the shirt which is on the bosom board tant. While 
it is being held in this position the bosom bed is moved 
forward and backward, its stroke being regulated to the 
distance desired to be ironed on the yoke. 

Another method of ironing yokes on the machine 
is with the roll machine. Almost any wristband ma- 
chine having a 6-inch roll is well adapted to iron yokes. 
A description of the way in which a yoke is ironed 
on a roll machine may be found in Part I, Chapter 13, 

When placing shirt bosoms on the bosom board, 
great care should be exercised to preserve the shape of 
the shirt and to iron it so it will lit a man. A great 
many laundrymen pay too little attention to this point. 
They allow" their shirts to go out ironed in such a way 
that they are very uncomfortable to wear. The oper- 
ator should examine every shirt, to note how it is cut, 
before he irons it. If he finds it to be low in the 
neck, then he should understand that the sides of the 
bosom should be well held up by the yoke clamp, and 
that the slope of the bosom should be stretched down 
so that the lowest point in the neck wall be brought 
down to its relative position. Starching and washing 
a shirt naturally throws it out of shape, and the bosom 
ironing operator should study to bring each shirt into 
its proper place by stretching it here or there. 

One might ask, "How is an operator to know what 
shape a shirt is to be ironed after it has been starched 
out of shape ?" To this it may be replied that an 



— 287 — 

operator who knows his business can tell when he places 
a shirt on a bosom board whether it is cut high or low 
in the neck; whether it should have square or sloping 
yoke seams, and whether it has a heart-shaj)ed or a 
round neck. This is all determined after he puts it 
on the board and pulls it a little. After being stretched 
here and there it will indicate its cut, and when the 
operator discovers this he should stretch it in those 
places which will give to it its natural shape and con- 
tour. To many laundrj'men these remarks may seem 
farfetched, but it is just these little details which make 
the difference between good work and poor work. If 
one would reach the righest pinnacle of perfection 
obtainable, he must not ignore these little things. 

How often one hears the remark, "I wonder what 
is the matter with my shirts since I sent them to such 
a laundry; they were cut to fit me, but now they 
bunch up under my chin, and do not seem like the 
same shirts." This is spoken truly. It is just what 
happens in a great many laundries. Laundrymen do 
not pay enough attention to preserving the shape of the 
shirt. After a shirt has been stretched and ironed out 
of shape it will not fit, no matter how carefully the 
shirtmaker prepared his patterns or took the measure- 
ments. The shirt is unyielding until it is laundered 
again. 

After the shirt has been placed on the bosom board 
and put into proper shape it should be clamped that 
way and ironed. It is not advisable to use a machine 
for ironing bosoms without a neckband clamp and a 
yoke clamp. It is true that more bosoms can be ironed 
on a machine without a clamp, but capacity is not the 
only thing desired in the laundry. A great many open- 



— 288 — 

front shirts Jo not fit because the eyelets or buttonholes 
in the front of it do not match, and when the stud, or 
button, is put in, it bulges one side of the bosom out 
of sha])e and causes a strain on the other half. Great 
care should be taken to have these buttonholes, or eye- 
lets, even, so that when the stud is jDut in the bosom 
it will lie flat. 

Another fault is ironing the bosom and having the 
neck drawn uj) too high, so that, when the shirt is 
worn, the collar-button wdiich joins the neckband in 
front punches into the wearer's tliroat, making it very 
"uncomfortable. This trouble is due to the tendency 
of all operators to place the neckband too far under the 
clamp. The neckband clamp should be in perfect ad- 
justment. The neckband, where it laps together on 
an open-front shirt, should be let dow^n as low as the 
neckband clamj^ will allow and yet hold it. This is 
because the neckband is not joined together, as is the 
case with an open-back shirt. 

The neckband clamp has to hold the band in place 
with sufficient pressure to overcome the resistance or 
pull on the bosom while it is being ironed. It is also 
necessary to have the upper lap of the bosom a little 
farther down, or, in other words, to have the under lap 
a little longer than the upper lap. This should be 
done so that, when the neckband is squared up, it will 
not cause the upper lap to bulge. In order to do this 
properly the neckband clamjD must catch very near the 
upper edge of the neckband on the side of that half 
of the bosom which is to be the shortest. For this 
reason it is necessary to have perfect neckband clamps 
and to have them properly. adjusted. 

After the neckband has been clamped in place, the 



— 289 — 

yokes are drawn into their proper relative positions, 
care being exercised to preserve the lines of the cut 
of the shirt around the yoke and around the upper 
part of the bosom. After the yoke clamps have been 
adjusted the bosom is ready for ironing. 

The matter of pressure is of considerable impor- 
tance, and all machines are built with nice adjustments 
to regulate pressure. Too much pressure will cause 
the starch to come to the surface and produce a blotchy 
appearance and an uneven gloss. Too little pressure 
leaves the goods rough dried and soft. Goods that are 
well dampened require moderate pressure. The proper 
mean between the two may be determined by careful 
experiment. Open fronts should be ironed on a very 
soft board with light pressure in order not to show the 
crease or impression where the laps join together. It 
is well to sort the open fronts from the open backs, 
as a different adjustment of pressure is usually required 
and a board which is not too hard for open backs is 
too hard for oj^en fronts. Therefore, it is well to 
change the covering after ironing open backs and be- 
fore ironing open fronts. 

That portion of the bosom on the lower lap which 
does not get ironed when the laps are laid together, 
should be ironed afterward by releasing the neck and the 
shoulder clamps, allowing the lower lap to remain on 
the bosom board, pulling back the upper lap so as to 
leave the unironed portion exposed, and then passing 
the iron over this surface of the under lap, effectually 
ironing that portion which is not ironed during the 
first operation. 

Plaited bosoms are handled in about the same man- 
ner as plain bosoms, with the exception that the plaits 



— 1'90 — 

have to be raised. It is better to raise the plait after 
about the second passage of the iron and before the 
bosom is dried out. Then finish ironing the bosom, 
and finally raise the plaits again the last thing. If 
the bosom is entirely dry before the plaits are raised, 
it will be hard to raise them, and there is danger of 
tearing the bosom. 

Pique shirts are usually ironed on the wrong side 
in order to bring out the figure. They must be starched 
very carefully, and all wrinkles removed, as a wrinkle 
will show very prominently when the bosom is ironed 
on the wrong side. There is some difiiculty experi- 
enced in ironing open-front pique shirts on the wrong 
side owing to the lap of the bosom. It is impossible 
to finish those portions under the lap if the bosom 
is ironed on the the wrong side. This can be done 
best with a hand-iron. In. fact, pique bosoms require 
considerable handwork after the machine, to make them 
look nice. The process is a combination of hand iron- 
ing and machine ironing. 

It is well to use the machine to press the plies to- 
gether and produce a stiif bosom, and then to turn the 
shirt right side out and finish the bosom with a large 
flat-iron on an ironing table. . When using a flat-iron 
it should be applied to the face of the bosom, and it 
should not be moved about any more than is absolutely 
necessary, as the friction will produce a gloss and de- 
stroy the appearance of the pique. The pro'cess is 
more of a pressing than an ironing. To get the best 
results, simply place the iron where it is required, and 
press it as hard as possible, at the same time moving it 
slightly. Pique figures are usually embossed, and if 
they are flattened too much, their embossed appearance 
is destroyed. 



— 291 — 

If the L<:)Jics are to be finished on a flat body ironer, 
the next machine in oredr after the bosom ironer wonhl 
be the back ironer. Since the flat body ironer irons 
only the front of the shirt, it is necessary to iron the 
back on another machine. In this case tlie back ironer 
is j)laced in the line next to the bosom ironer. A de- 
scription of the back ironer and its operation will be 
found in Part I, Chapter 9. Jf the shirt body is fin- 
ished entirely by a roll machine, the back ironer is 
omitted and the shirt .is passed directly from the bosom 
ironer to the neckband ironer. 

There is great dift'erence of opinion in regard to the 
relative merits of neckband ironing machines. Some 
claim that the revolving heated roll is easier on the 
goods, and that it will not stretch the bands, while 
others claim that the machine with a stationary heated 
iron will do better work. The author believes that the 
stationary iron will produce a stift'er band, but that 
with its use there is greater wear on the band, owing 
to the greater friction. This form has also a greater 
tendency to stretch the band. Work done on the re- 
volving roll machine will not be so stiff, but as there 
is very little friction, it will not wear the band as much 
nor stretch it as much as the other. The only danger 
with a machine of this kind is that the operator is 
apt to wind on the cloth too wide, making the padded 
roll longer than the heated roll. The result is that 
the pressure of the heated roll soon forms a sharp 
angle in the padded roll, and this angle has a tendency 
to cut the bosom where the neckband joins it. The 
iron roll presses down the surface which comes in con- 
tact with it, leaving the end of the padded roll standing 
up in a ridge and producing a shearing action between 



— 292 





Fig. 85. (Nelson & Kreuter.) Fig. 86. (American Laundry Machinery Co,) 

SHOE NECKBANX) IROKERS. 



— 293 — 

the iron roll and the edge of the ridge. It is well, in 
covering machines of this kind, to wind the cloth ex- 
ectly to the end of the revolving roll, so that it will 
form no ridge in the padded roll. The last few layer^j 
of cloth may project beyond the iron roll in order to 
make a complete and compact covering. Examples 
of these two machines are shown in Figs. 85 and 86. 

It is impossible to do good work on a neckband 
machine of any kind withont a soft padded roll, and 
the padded roll of a neckband machine will become hard 
more quickly than on any other machine owing to the 
extreme pressure which is applied to its limited surface. 
It is well to recover a neckband ironer every day, when 
it is in constant use. If it becomes too hard it Avill 
glaze the neckband, and because of the starch being 
l^ressed out the work will have a greasy, grimy look. 

Usually, neckbands are ironed the poorest of any 
other part of the shirt. They are often left too soft, 
and many times they get dirty. The operator must 
have absolutely clean hands. Even the natural per- 
spiration will produce a stain on the neckbands after 
they are ironed, especially if they are ironed on a hard 
roll. The neckband has to be held quite taut as it is 
fed through the machine, and its being damp makes it 
a ready means for removing any foreign substances 
which may be on the thumb and the' forefinger through 
which the band passes. The operation of neckband 
ironers will be found described in Part I, Chapter 15. 

The subject of wristband ironing, methods and ma- 
chines has been quite fully covered in Part I, Chapter 
15. All that it is necessary to add here is that there 
are several types of these machines not already men- 
tioned. One of these is a machine havine; a revolving 



— 294 — 




Fig. 87. 



■WRISTBAND IRONER. 

(A. T. HagenCo.) 



I 



— 295 — 

heated roll mounted on a shaft, and the roll extended 
beyond its bearings to j)erinit of running the revolving 
padded roll within the sleeve, with the wristband oui 
of contact with the ironing rolls. This machine not 
only irons the wristbands, but it also irons a portion 
of the sleeve next to the wristband. x\s shirts are 
usually starched more or less in the sleeve next to the 
wristband, ironing in this manner does not stick the 
sleeve together, but gives it a nice finish. The Hagen 
machine, shown in Fig. 87, answers the above descrip- 
tion. 

It is usual to iron the bodies in a custom laundry 
just after the wristbands are ironed. The same ma- 
chine is used to iron the sleeves as well, iill of the 
machine ironing is finished before the shirt has left 
the body ironer. On this machine the body is ironed 
by placing the shirt over the revolving roll and ironing 
around it; ironing the back first, and then the front 
up to the bottom of the bosom. IS'ext, the sleeves are 
ironed, and the shirt is finished as far as machine work 
goes. 

If the work has been well done the shirt will by 
now be nicely ironed, and about all that is necessary 
now is to pull the bosom on the bosom board, iron under 
the plaits and touch it up here and there. Lay the shirt 
flat on the table and press the outside yokes and crease 
the yokes where they natur'ally fold ; iron out any little 
imperfections in the body, and then fold it. It is not 
customary to pin shirts that are folded in a custom 
laundry, but usually a shirtband is fastened around 
them which holds the shirt together, at the same time 
produces a good appearance, and is a means of adver- 
tising as well. It is advisable to have the folder sup- 



— 296 — 

plied with a hand eyelet raiser, and to raise the eyelet 
before the shirt is folded, otherwise, if the eyelet is 
raised as in stock shirts, by a machine, it is liable to 
destroy the paper band which holds the shirt and allow 
it to become unfolded. 

Should a neckband be crushed or broken while 
handling it, it can be easily iixed, after the shirt is 
folded, by redampening the band and ironing it again 
on the neckband machine. If the operator is careful, 
the bosom will not be at all injured, and the band may 
be very much improved. 



297 — 



CHAPTER 14. 

NEGLIGEE SHIKTS AND LADIEs' WAISTS. 

]S[egligee shirts may be handled in a custom laun- 
dry to good advantage and ironed almost entirely by 
machines. They should be dampened in the same man- 
ner as a stiff-bosom shirt and care should be used not 
to hav^e the dampening roll too tight or else the buttons 
will be crushed or the goods cut. The inside yoke 
should be ironed by hand, the neckband by machine, 
and the wristband or the attached cuff by machine. 
Then the shirt should be drawn on to a bosom board, 
buttoned, a ring placed in the neck, the front drawn 
taut and the front ironed by hand, covering the part 
which shows where the shirt is folded. 

After this the body and the sleeve are ironed by 
machine, and the shirt goes to the folding table.. It is 
usually folded over a thin board and should be about 
9 by 18 inches. The latter may be made of pasteboard 
or of wood beveled down to give it sharp edges. 

A full description of the above method may be 
found in Part I, Chapter 24. The method brings about 
a very good result and at a low cost, and it may be 
made very satisfactory. It applies to the plain neg- 
ligee shirt, but, of course, silk shirts require a more 
elaborate method. The best results are those produced 
by ironing the silk shirt by hand, although quite sat- 
isfactory results have been obtained by the method 
just described for negligee sliirts. The silk front only 



— 298 — 

should be ironed by a steam heated iron. The puff 
ironer, or the ladies' sleeve ironer, affords an excellent 
device for ironing these silk fronts. The bosom is 
drawn over the surface of this steam heated bulb, the 
moisture is evaporated rapidly, and the silk takes a, 
beautiful finish. 

As the styles of ladies' waists change every season, 
both in make and material, it is quite impossible to 
describe any method which will be applicable to the 
various styles of these garments. About the only prac- 
tical way to handle them is to iron them by hand. Al- 
most any woman who can do family ironing can iron 
ladies' waists well, and no attempt will be made to 
formulate a plan whereby any one style of these gar- 
ments may be properly ironed or laundered. 



299 — 



CHAPTER 15. 

COLLAE AND CUFF IRONING. 

Nearly all of the machines built to iron collars and 
cutfs have been described in Part I, Chapter 25. Laun- 
dering old work is essentially the same in the ironing- 
room for collars and cuffs. It will, however, be found 
necessary to study the theory of the different finishes 
which the trade of different localities demands. In 
the smaller towns, where the great majority of the work 
is from the rural districts, a very high gloss is asked 
for. The country people seem to think that, if a collar 
is w^ell glossed, it is well laundered, and that it will 
keep clean longer. For this reason one will invariably 
find that in these small towns the gloss finish is desired. 

There are some peculiarities in regard to gloss or 
to obtaining it which are hard to understand. Theories 
do not always hold in the matter of gloss. The theory 
advanced to explain what causes goods to receive a 
gloss, is that the ironing roll must have a much greater 
surface motion than the goods which are ironed, thus 
producing greater "slip" in the ironing process, and 
that the less the slip the less will be the gloss. But 
this theory, in many cases, does not hold true in prac- 
tice. An example of this may be found in what is 
known as the Gardner reciprocating ironer, which is so 
arranged that the ironing roll may be made to roll 
over the collars without the differential motion ; or, 
in other words, without any slip. Yet it will produce 
the highest polish imaginable. Many manufacturers 



— 300 — 

have experimented to a great extent in following out 
this theory, and expecting results which they have 
often failed to obtain. The author once made a ma- 
chine having a differential motion of nearly 12 to 1, 
thinking to go to the extreme and prove the theory, 
but the results as far as gloss was concerned were not 
satisfactory. It did not produce higher gloss than 
a machine which ran two and one-half to one. 

Gloss seems to be the result of a peculiar combina- 
tion of conditions which it is difficult to explain. The 
Xo. T collar ironer, the small machine which has a 
heated roll on top of the padded roll, is the machine 
which will produce the highest gloss of any cylinder 
'machine, and it is used even in some of the largest 
laundries because it is the only machine Avhich will 
jiroduce a high gloss. jSTow this machine has no greater 
slip than the average, nor as much as some, yet it pro- 
duces the highest gloss. 

Some manufacturers build a machine wdiich is 
known as the "combination." This machine has a flat 
table covered with cloth on which the goods are ironed, 
and it works on the plan of a double belt shirt bosom 
ironer. It has two tables, one for ironing shirt bosoms 
and the other for collars and cuffs. The table for col- 
lars and cuffs is much wider than that for bosoms. It 
is an excellent machine for laundries doing a moderate 
business, as it combines the shirt ironer and the collar 
ironer in one machine. The finish it gives is usually 
a gloss ; possibly it gives a higher gloss than the l^o. 7. 

Aside from these two machines there are none 
which produce the enameled finish such as the country 
trade wants. The other styles of roll machines pro- 
duce finishes all the way from a fair gloss do'WTi to a 
domestic finish. 



— 301 — 

Work that is to be glossed should be dampened so 
that it will be soft and pliable, as it is quite impossible 
to gloss a piece if it is too dry. It requires dampness 
sufficient to allow the pressure of the machine to crush 
the plies thoroughlj' together and to get the fiber well 
pressed down. This is required in order that the sur- 
face will become smooth without having any small 
cavities between the threads of the goods. When the 
goods are in this condition they are capable of receiving 
the polish, as the wdiole surface of the fabric is like 
one continuous piece to which the polishing action is 
applied. If one should look at a well-polished piece 
of linen with a microscope, the threads, instead of look- 
ing like round ropes, would appear to be flattened and 
the space between them filled in level with starch, mak- 
ing one continuous surface. In order to produce this 
condition, dampness is required, but there is danger 
of having too much dampness. Too much dampness 
produces a condition such that, when the goods are 
ironed, the pressure brings the starch to the surface 
in the same way that a wringer drives the dampness 
out of goods. The starch that is thus forced to the 
surface produces a greasy appearance when the goods 
are ironed, which is unsightly. 

With the larger machines for ironing collars and 
cuffs so much dampness is not required. But these 
machines do not produce so great a gloss as those de- 
scribed above. These machines, as has already been 
described, are so arranged that they may be altered 
from one differential motion to another. 

In some machines several motions can be obtained, 
and these different motions produce various grades of 
finish. The theory that the slip produces a gloss holds 



— 302 — 

true to a certain extent. The gloss is increased in 
these machines np to a certain point by increasing the 
differential motion between the hot roll and the revolv- 
ing padded roll. Starting with the highest gloss, the 
machine will produce many different finishes down to 
the domestic finish. These variations are obtained by 
shifting the gears. 

The manufacturers of steam-heated collar ironers 
make no claim for gloss work. The natural product of 
this machine is a domestic finish, although some gloss 
can be obtained. This machine has been found ex- 
ceedingly well adapted for the fine work customary in 
large cities. The work for the steam machine should 
be well dampened, should be soft and flexible, and yet 
it should not be too wet. 

Good results, with any ironing machine, depend 
largely upon the condition of the machine. Good work 
can not be obtained on a hard bed, and especially is 
this true in collar and cuff machines. If the roll be- 
comes too hard, the goods will be flattened too much, 
the seams will turn yellow, and they will crack easily 
when being turned. The covering for the roll of the 
collar ironer should be always soft and pliable. There 
are various ways of covering an ironing machine, a great 
many of which are good. One good way is to proceed 
as follows : First cover the iron drum with several 
layers of wool blanket; follow with several layers of 
double-faced canton flannel, and then finish with heavy 
unbleached muslin. Wind on all the goods the ad- 
justment of the machine will allow. A machine cov- 
ered this way it will not be necessary to recover for 
some time. 



— 303 — 

When the machine is in constant nse it will be 
found best to change the covering once a month. Then 
it is well to remove all the material on the rolls and 
supply new. The old material may be renovated and 
rendered lit to be used again by running it in a wash- 
ing machine in steam only. Do not use water ; simply 
shake and steam it, and allow it to dry without heat. 
It will be found that this process will raise the nap 
of the goods and make the material nearly as soft as 
it was when new. 

There are many tricks and devices employed in 
finishing collars after they are ironed which add to 
their appearance and comfort to the wearer. Among 
the latest inventions is the saw-edge machine. This 
invention is a machine for removing the roughness on 
the edge of a standing collar, making it comfortable to 
wear. There are various machines for this purpose. 
Some are sold outright and others are leased on a 
royalty basis. Any machine that will remove the 
roughness of a standing collar is a blessing to humanity. 
It seems strange that this invention, or, rather the 
need of it, was not discovered sooner, as the idea is so 
simple and the demand was so great. Any laundry- 
man who does not have a saw-edge machine is not up 
to date. 

The machines which remove the roughness on the 
edge of a collar most successfully are those having an 
ironing motion applied to the edge of the collar. Ma- 
chines of this class usually consist of several revolving 
heated disks. The edge of the collar is first moistened 
and then it is passed through a groove, having its edge 
brought in contact with these revolving disks, thereby 
ironing the edge of the collar as much as its sides. 



— 304 — 

There are other devices in using which the collar 
is passed throngh a heated slot. This, to a certain 
extent, is satisfactory and a great improvement over 
leaving the edges rough, but it is not as satisfactory 
as the class of machines first described. 

• There are several devices, machines and schemes 
for manipulating different styles of collars ; the shap- 
ing machines for turn-down collars ; the shaping ma- 
chines for stand-up collars ; forms to mould lay-down 
collars ; devices for shaping roll collars, and several 
makes of seam dampeners, any of which devices possess 
merit, and should be found in every well-equipped 
laundry. It is not necessary to fully describe each 
machine and method. It is sufficient to add, that any 
laundryman who is not fully equipped with these little 
adjuncts may become quite well posted on the subject 
by referring to the trade journals, and any machine 
or device which may strike his fancy owing to its in- 
expensiveness will be sent to any responsible laundry- 
man on trial. As the expense of a trial is not very 
great, it is a practical way to learn of what value these 
devices may be. 

A tipping machine, already described in Part I, 
Chapter 25, is an essential adjunct to machines which 
iron the goods by one passage tlirough. The wing- 
point collars, or collars which turn over in front, are 
not finished on the inside, and consequently, Avhen 
they are turned over, they will not have the appearance 
of the outside of the collar, and will need finishing. 
Here is where the tipping machine comes into play for 
finishing the point of the collar and throwing the im- 
pression of the seam to the other side. 



— 305 — 



CHAPTER 16. 



MISCELLANEOUS IKONING. 



There is always an amount of miscellaneous work 
sent to the laundry which forms quite a large propor- 
tion of the business. ]\luch of this w^ork can not be 
conveniently laundered by any set method or formula. 
The judgment of the laundryman and the skill of the 
employes may usually be depended upon to relaunder 
this class of work satisfactorily. Only a few of the 
most common articles will be mentioned here and a 
few suggestions given in regard to laundering them. 

The white duck coat is an article which almost all 
laundrymen have to relaunder, and so it will be well 
to make a few suggestions in regard to it. These coats 
are worn by barbers, butchers, waiters and others whose 
occupation makes the wearing of this coat desirable. 
Usually, these coats become very much soiled and re- 
quire vigorous washing in lots of strong soap and hot 
water. The process is about the same as washing white 
shirts, with the exception that no oxalic acid is used. 
This is because these goods are very hard to rinse, and 
there is danger that all the oxalic acid will not be re- 
moved, and that an injury to the goods will ensue. 
The souring should be of acetic acid only. The goods 
should be dipped in starch of the consistency of that 
given by eight ounces of cornstarch to a gallon of water.. 
The starch should be hot and contain some bluing and 
acetic acid 



— 306 — 




Fig. 88. CROAVN IRON. 

(The Alden Speare's Sons Co.) 

After the coats are dried thej should be sprinkled, 
rolled up tight and laid aside for six or eight hours to 
thoroughly dampen them. 

A common way of ironing these coats is by hand, 
a process which it will not be necessary to describe. 
What is known as the "jumbo" flat-iron is also used 
very effectually. This iron, which is shown in Fig. 88, 
is what might be called a giant flat-iron. The method 
of using it is the same as that employed w^ith the ordi- 
nary flat-iron. It is heated by gas, which burns within 
the iron, the iron being controlled by means of a handle 
attached at the pointed end. When this iron is not 
in use it is suspended from a hanging arm which holds 
it from the table and prevents it from scorching the 



— 307 — 

cover. When it is to he used it is taken from the 
arm and rests on the table. The article to he ironed 
is laid on tlie table and the iron moved over it. Duck 
coats may be ironed quite satisfactorily with this iron, 
as well as handkerchiefs, napkins, towels, flannels, 
stockings, and, in fact, all pieces of family work of 
this nature. 

Many laundrymen use the body ironer for ironing- 
duck coats. They iron the body part, the collar and 
the sleeves on the machine and finish up around the 
shoulders and the yoke with a flat-iron. This method 
is about as cheap as any, and where a large number 
of these coats are handled, it enables one to handle them 
conveniently and without loss of time or confusion of 
the work. 

Skirts and ladies' underwear are usually ironed by 
hand. These goods have usually more or less fancy 
work on them, and unless it is ironed nicely it is never 
satisfactory. A great deal of this kind of work re- 
quires fluting. For a great many years there has been 
in use a small fluting machine which must be heated 
by iron slugs and operated by hand. Manufacturers 
have recently been building fluting machines which are 
operated by power and heated by gas. These machines 
accord with modern practice and are convenient to op- 
erate. This machine is illustrated in Fig. 89. 

It is necessary, when ironing a skirt, to iron it on 
what is called a skirt board. This, for convenience 
sake, is made quite long, and is fastened to a table and 
projects beyond it, so that the skirt may be pulled 
over the board without trouble. The board being on 
the Inside of the skirt, as the skirt is ironed it is pulled 
around, and the operation continues until the skirt has 
been completely ironed. 



308 




rig. 89. PO-WER FLUTER. 
(S. H. Sinclair Co.) 



— 309 — 

The steam-heated body ironer is an excellent ma- 
chine with which to iron many pieces of family work, 
and especially is it valnable in laundries where no 
mangle is used. This machine is arranged with a feed- 
ing table, which makes it very convenient to iron such 
pieces as napkins or handkerchiefs, which require 
straight edges and square corners. Care must be ex- 
ercised when ironing handkerchiefs and napkins on 
this machine to get them square and straight so that 
the edges and corners will fold evenly. The table 
may be thrown back from the feeding roll, permitting 
those goods to be ironed which necessitate having a cov- 
ered roll operate within the garment. This machine 
is used in some laundries for ironing shirt bodies and 
sleeves. It produces excellent results when the damp- 
ness is just right, but when the goods are a little dry 
they are not ironed as well as they would be on a roll 
machine, consequently this machine is not recommended 
for shirt work, but it is very good for family pieces. 



— 310 — 



CHAPTER 17. 

MAEKING, SORTING AND HANDLING LAUNDRY WORK. 

The point has now been reached where it is neces- 
sary to explain in detail some method of marking and 
keeping a record of the various articles of clothing 
which are brought to the laundry, and to describe some 
system whereby the goods may be kept track of and 
assorted ready to be delivered to their owners. It will 
be supposed that there is a laundry doing an average 
business of $500 a week. This laundry is assumed to 
be equipped with all modern machinery, devices and 
appliances, and the system which is about to be ex- 
plained may generally be adopted by this size laundry. 
The system may be applied, however, in any laundry 
if the difference in the volume of work is taken into 
account. The larger the business, the greater number 
of separate lots go through each day, the reverse being 
true for a smaller business, as it is the best plan to have 
always about the same number of pieces in a lot, no 
matter whether the business be large or small. 

Let it be supposed that this laundry has received 
a number of bundles consisting of miscellaneous pieces. 
As these bundles are received at the office or collected 
by the driver, a laundry list is attached to every bundle. 
Each list has the owner's name written on it, and, if 
it is to be delivered, it has the owner's address as well. 



— 311 — 

If it is to be called for, the list should be marked 
''call." A laundry list is usually a printed blank 
naming the items that are generally sent to the steam 
laundry, with the standard or fixed price printed op- 
posite the name of each article. This makes it an easy 
matter to make out a list, as it is only necessary to 
mark the number of each kind of article in the bundle 
opposite its name. 

Beginning with the first bundles received on Mon- 
day, the office hand opens the bundles and marks on 
the list wdiat the bundles contain. They then go to 
the marking table, where the articles are marked with 
indelible ink, and the mark is recorded on the list. 
The character of the mark which is put on the garment 
is of no great importance so long as it is distinct and 
2)ermanent enough to stand the laundering. If the 
articles are already marked, the same mark may be 
be used, providing it is distinct. In that way cover- 
ing people's goods Avith unsightly and objectionable 
laundry marks is avoided. If there are no marks, it 
is well to use the customer's initials, as this plan might 
be useful in locating a stray article at some future time. 
Garments should be marked neatly and with great care, 
especially when they are handkerchiefs and fine articles 
of lace or underwear. The figures or letters should 
be small and located where they are the least likely 
to be seen when the article is in use. It is important 
to have the exact mark that is used on the garment 
placed on the list. Stockings and black goods in gen- 
eral are usually marked with the aid of a marking-tag. 
This is a metal device having a white cloth insertion 
on which to place the mark, and it is arranged to clasp 
to the garment. 



— 312 — 

The Lundles and lists are held at the marking table 
imtil there is a sufficient amount of work to make up 
a lot. A convenient sized lot consists of from 80 to 
100 dozen collars and cuffs and the shirts, underwear, 
handkerchiefs, and all other articles which have come 
in with this 100 dozen. This lot is called numl)er one, 
as it is the first lot in the laundry at the beginning 
of the week. The lot is kept together and is known 
as Lot j^o. 1 in every department of the laundry. The 
lot now goes to the washroom and the lists are sent to 
the office, where the price of each item is extended 
and the list totalled and recorded. The lists are en- 
tered in a regular laundry record, with all the items 
and prices, together with the customer's name, address 
and mark. 

The goods are separated in the washroom and waslied 
by the respective methods, the colored goods being as- 
sorted from the others and washed separately. In 
every instance this lot of goods should have something 
to indicate where it is. If it is in a washing machine, 
for instance, there should be a figure IS'o. 1 and the 
name of the goods being washed marked in some way 
ou the washing machine. For example : If the col- 
lars of Ko. 1 lot are in the washing machine, a card as 
follows: "Collars and Cuffs, Lot 1," should be placed 
on the washing machine. The same method should be 
applied to the lots when in the starchroom, the dryroom 
or the dampening boxes, or when being ironed. Then, 
when the goods have been laundered, the lot may be 
delivered to the sorting-room in a bunch, as it was de- 
livered to the washroom. 

The ordinary course of events would bring out the 
underwear and pieces of flat-work sooner than the rest 



— 313 — 

of the lot, and it is the usvial practice to sort the under- 
wear first, while waiting for the balance of the lot. 

Sorting shirts and underwear is best done on shelves 
or in pigeonholes, while collars and cuffs are being 
sorted on a table. In a business of the size under 
discussion two sorters are required, one for collars and 
cuffs, and one for other .articles. It requires consid- 
erable ability on the part of the sorter to separate all 
these articles correctly, as it has to be done by memory. 
In a lot of 100 dozen collars and cuffs there are twelve 
hundred pieces to be looked at and placed with other 
pieces having the same mark. In sorting collars and 
cuffs this is done by taking a bunch of them and lay- 
ing down the first piece looked at in a certain place 
on the table, the next one beside it, and so on until 
a piece has been reached having the same mark of one 
already laid down. This piece is then laid with that 
having the same mark, and so the process continues 
until the entire lot is assorted. In the meantime the 
shirts have been sorted and placed in pigeonholes or 
on shelves with the underwear, handkerchiefs, etc. 
When the collars and cuffs are sorted they are assem- 
bled with the balance of the bundle and the list placed 
with them. Should any garment get soiled in the pro- 
cess of laundering and require relaundering, it should 
be marked with a tag, which signifies that it is a "put- 
back," and that it should be pushed ahead of every- 
thing else in order that it may be delivered in time to 
go with the rest of the goods. 

After the goods have been sorted and assembled 
they are checked off and compared with the list; they 
are next delivered to the wrapper to be put in shape 
for delivery. Finally, the bundle is wrapped and the 



- 314 — 

original list is tied to it, when it is ready for delivery. 

This system presupposes that the first thing in is 
the first thing out, and in the ordinary course of laun- 
dering this is true. If the public could be regulated, 
this system would be all that would be required. How- 
ever, there are always a lot of people who are in a great 
rush for things, and who must have their laundry work 
finished at the earliest possible moment. If the laun- 
dry would retain such trade it should have a system 
of putting through "Specials" in the quickest and 
most complete manner. The demands on the modern 
laundry in this respect are very great, but in most 
instances the laundry is equal to it. 

A special bundle should have a special list, with the 
time at which it is to be delivered marked on it. The 
bundle is marked in the ordinary way, but each gar- 
ment should be marked with a special tag. Some 
laundrymen use a piece of red cloth or string made of 
turkey-red oil calico. This is an indelible color and 
is not affected by bleach. It easily catches the eye, 
and the operator will almost involuntarily push it ahead 
of everything else. Garments having this special mark 
are worked upon while the ordinary lots are waiting 
their regular course. Many times there is a lull be- 
tween the lots of regular work, and such times are quite 
opportune for handling specials. 

Of course, specials naturally keep regular lots back 
to a certain extent. If there are too many of them 
they become a nuisance, and they should not be en- 
couraged, for it is impossible to do good laundry work 
and rush it. Specials can not have the time put upon 
them which is necessary for laundering them well. 
Everything has to be done in a hurry, and if time is 
gained it is at the expense of quality. 



— 315 — 

There are a great many other systems of handling 
laundry work, some of which are more complex, and 
perhaps some are more simple, but the foregoing plan 
is recommended as being in all probability as practical 
as any of them. What the author has tried to do is to 
show a system devoid of useless red tape, or complica- 
tions which might handicap the running of a system 
in the hands of regular laundry operatives. 

In writing the foregoing pages of Parts I and II 
the author has endeavored to set forth a complete and 
connected method whereby both new and old work may 
be laundered successfully, and has attempted to show ^ 
each and every operation in natural sequence. It is 
hoped that the reader of these pages, if he is not able 
to follow the plan of work in this book, in the order in 
which it is given, he may take from here and there such 
information or advice as may suit his individual case 
and in this way apply what has been set forth to his 
personal requirements. 



317 — 



PART THIRD 



CHAPTER 1. 

MANGLE WORK COMPAKISOX WITH ORDINARY WORK. 

Mangle work, or, what is known in the trade as 
flat work, has become to be a business distinct from the 
ordinary laundry work. Plants are equipped especially 
for this grade of work and nothing else, and the treat- 
ment of the work is entirely different from the ordinary 
laundry work. This branch of the laundry business 
has been brought about as a natural result of the de- 
mand for quick delivery and the handling of work in 
large quantities. In large cities and in seaport towns 
the mangle business has reached enormous proportions. 
There are many large plants equipped at great expen- 
ditures, and every kno^\^l modern device is sought to 
facilitate the handling of the work or to make the pro- 
cess more rapid in operation. Machines are used 
which cost thousands of dollars, and more money and 
experimenting has been expended upon the steam 
mangle than upon any other laundry machine. 

Such machines are now made which iron and finish 
the goods on both sides with one passage through. The 
goods are taken to the mangle directly from the ex- 
tractor, and these machines will iron pieces as fast as 
several operators can feed them. The modern steam 
mangle is an illustration of what American enterprise 
and ingenuity can accomplish. This invention has 



— 318 — 

revolutionized the flat work business. A short time 
ago nearly every hotel and large restaurant had laun- 
dries of their own. The introduction of this machine 
has greatly cheapened the cost of doing the work and 
increased the capacity of the laundry which employs 
them. They make the price of doing flat w^ork so low 
that the hotels and restaurants can not afford to do 
their own work, as the machine is too expensive and 
of too great a capacity for the average hotel. Laun- 
drymen who have equipped their plants with these 
large machines made the price for doing flat Avork so 
low that the hotel laundries and every laundry doing 
this class of w^ork on a small scale has been compelled 
to abandon it. This large machine gives its owners a 
good margin of profit at a price for doing the work 
which is much lower than the average laundry could 
afford to do it for. The result is that the laundering 
of work of this class has been centered at plants equipped 
with large steam mangles. 

There are quite a number of laundrjTnen who oper- 
ate custom laundry plants and who have also a mangle 
work department. This department is usually distinct 
from the others. The methods and the general conduct 
of the business are quite different from that employed 
for regular custom work. The help need not be as 
high-priced as regular laundry help, as the handling of 
flat work requires less skill than handling of custom 
work. Therefore, to reach the point of greatest success 
in this class of w^ork it is well to have it independent 
of and apart from the regular laundry business. 

This class of work does not require marking, as the 
lots may be run separately with each order by itself, 
and delivered to the shipping department complete as 



— 319 — 

received. It is the nsual cnstoni to keep a record of 
all goods and to check them oiT when they are finished. 
There is, however, so great a diversity in mangle work 
that no attempt will he made to formnlate a plan of 
handling it. The lanndryman who does the work for 
large steamboat lines must necessarily have different 
methods of keeping track of the work than the man 
who receives work from small restaurants, barber shops 
and hotels. A plan of operation is all that will be here 
given, and the methods of registering and carrying the 
work through will be left to be arranged according to 
the conditions peculiar to the various localities. 



320 — 



CHAPTEE 2. 

AREANGEMENT OF THE WASHROOM. 

The washroom for mangle work as regards the 
floor, the water, the sewer, and the power is about the 
same as has been described for a washroom for doing 
custom work. The machines mav be essentially the 
same. It is well, however, to employ heavy washing 
machines of large capacities. They should be con- 
nected witli the hot and the cold water supplies by large 
pipes, and large outlets should be attached to them. 
Mangle work has generally to be handled in a rush, and 
in equipping plants of this kind one should study means 
for economy of time. Hence, large water connections 
and discharge pipes are essential. The cylinders of 
the washing machines should have deep ribs and should 
be large in diameter. The metallic machine is prefer- 
able to the wooden one on account of its greater dura- 
bility, and as the metal cylinder has large and deep 
ribs or projections on the inside, it is the more de- 
sirable for washing flat work. The illustration, Fig. 
1>0, shows a washer suited to this work. 

It is also necessary to have large extractors of the 
most approved make, and machines that will run read- 
ily in balance while at a high rate of speed and carry 
a heavy load. It is necessary to extract as much water 
as possible from the goods in order to get the greatest 
capacity out of the mangle. Flat work is not dried in 
the dryroom, but on the mangle when it is being ironed 



— 321 — 




— 322 — 

Therefore, it is necessary to remove all the moisture 
possible before the goods are mangled, and the very 
best extractors are required. 

It is well to arrange the bluing tanks higher than 
the washing machines, similarly to those already de- 
scribed in Part I, Chapter 2. While the bluing 
operation is not so particular in flat work as in custom 
work, it is quite necessary tp dissolve the blue in a 
quantity of water to prevent it from spotting or streak- 
ing the goods. Following this plan is strongly advised 
where ultramarine blue is used. 



323 — 



CHAPTER 3. 

METHODS OF WASHING MANGLE WORK. 

Where it is practical, it is better to sort table nap- 
kins, tablecloths and towels and to wash them sepa- 
rately from sheets, pillow cases, etc. Table linen is 
usually very much soiled and requires to be washed 
thoroughly and bleached considerably. When washing 
a load of table linen, the machine should not be too 
full, and the first water used should be warm. The 
goods should be run for five or ten minutes without 
soap, after which the water is changed and sufficient 
soap is added to make a good strong suds. If the 
goods are to be bleached, the bleaching should be done 
after the first suds. Rinse twice after the suds used 
before bleaching. The usual bleaching formula, which 
is given in Part I, Chapter 3, is applicable to flat work, 
and the method of rinsing there described is also ad- 
vised. It is not customary to bleach flat work every 
time it is w^ashed. The goods need only be bleached 
every four or five washings. 

When flat work is bleached it is best to blue it with 
aniline blue. As it must be blued after the washing 
process, there is no economy in using ultramarine or 
other insoluble blues. As aniline blue gives the nicest 
color, it is better to use it when economy in time is 
not imperative, or when no time will be lost in using 
it, as is the case on a load of goods that has been 
bleached. Bluing flat work with aniline blue is easy. 



— 324 — 

The bluing is mixed with water in the elevated tank, 
and to the water is added live ounces of acetic acid for 
each load of goods of the average amount, the goods 
having been previously treated with a sour bath to 
neutralize the eifect of the bleach and to render them 
more sensitive to the color. 

When it is not desired to bleach the work, the bluing 
operation is done in the suds by the use of ultramarine 
blue. The whole solution of soap water and bluing 
should be mixed in warm water in the elevated tank, 
and the water kept agitated to prevent the blue from 
settling until it is run into the machine. It should 
be run into the machine while the machine is in motion, 
and the machine should not be permitted to stop while 
this solution is on the goods. 

A very pretty color may be obtained this way, but 
as ultramarine blue is insoluble in water, it precipitates 
easily and causes spotting and streaking. If, how- 
ever^ it is kept continuously in motion, this difficulty 
is not often experienced. The strong point in favor 
of the use of ultramarine is economy in time, as it 
is used in the suds, and a second operation for bluing 
is not required. The goods are simply rinsed once or 
twice after the suds, and they are ready for the ex- 
tractor. A load of flat work may be well washed in 
this way in thirty minutes and be ready for extracting. 
When using mangles that will iron the work directly 
from the extractor, it is possible to launder this class of 
work in an astonishingly short time. The demands so 
many times made on the laundry are such that it would 
not be possible to meet them unless these short methods 
were possible. Many of the smaller and cheaper res- 
taurants do not have linen enough for a change, and 



— 325 — 

it must be laundered between meals. It is also often 
the case in larger establishments that the owners do not 
invest in a change of linen, as they have found it quite 
convenient and practicable to have one set only. The 
modern flat work laundry has made it practicable to 
relaunder this work in such a short time. 

Work that requires starching is rarely sent to a flat 
work laundry. Consequently, no piovision need be 
made for starching any part of the work. 

]^fapkins and table linen should be finished soft, and 
in order to produce this finish thej^ should be well ex- 
tracted. If they are mangled too wet on a roll mangle 
they are likely to be too stiff, and therefore it is neces- 
sary to be very thorough in the matter of extracting. 
If possible, the extractor should run fifteen minutes 
at as high a rate of speed as it is safe to operate it. 
Information regarding the speed of extractors will be 
found in Part I, Chapter 2. 



— 326 — 



CHAPTEK 4. 



THE MANGLE-ROOM. 



It is very desirable to have the mangie-room well 
ventilated, as the steam, which comes constantly from 
the machines, soon renders the air oppressive and im- 
pure. There is such a large amount of evaporation 
that it is necessary to have some system of enforced 
ventilation, and this is best done by means of ordinary 
ventilating fans, like that in Fig. 91, placed in the 
ceiling or side walls. For a room having 200 square 
feet of floor space, two 36-incli fans, speeded at 500 
revolutions, are none too large in capacity for thor- 
oughly ventilating such a room. 

The floor of a mangle-room should be of hard wood, 
and this should have a good filling of linseed oil in 
order that it may easily be kept clean and that it will 
wear well. The machinery may be driven by belts 
from shafting overhead, but in locations where it is 
practicable to do so, it is better to have the shafting 
under the floor in order to keep the mangles free from 
the dust and the oil which usually falls from the shaft- 
ing and the belting when it runs overhead. 

There should be a large supply of steam in order 
to give the mangles their full capacity. It is advised 
that not less than a two-inch pipe, running from the 
boilers to the mangle-room, be used. After the pipe 
has entered the room it may be reduced and the several 
branches from the different machines may be connected 



327 — 




Fig. 91. EXHAUST FAN. 

(Massachusetts Fan Co.) 



— 3J8 — 

into the larger pipe with a reducing coupling or bushing. 
All steam pipes leading to the mangles should be cov- 
ered with suitable pipe covering to in-event radiation. 
The exhaust-pipe from the mangles should be con- 
nected to a steam-trap. A good steam-trap will allow 
all the Avater to escape and hold back the dry steam, 
thus keeping the mangles free of water and as hot as 
the steam will make them. From the steam-trap the 
condensed water should be run to a well near the boiler 
and be pumped into the boiler from the well. There 
should be a steam-gauge attached to the main steam pipe 
to indicate the pressure of steam on the mangle, and it 
is advisable always not to carry less than eighty pounds 
of steam on the mangle, and 100 pounds should be 
used if possible, as the higher the pressure of the steam 
the hotter it is. 

It is advisable never to operate a mangle without 
a steam-trap. The water can not be discharged by any 
system of valves as effectually as with a trap ; and, 
where blow-off valves are used, it is a common fault 
to blow off much of the live steam, which means 
a waste of fuel and an unnecessary expense. Steam is 
not so effectual a heating agent when it is allowed to 
escape as when it is confined and retained at its great- 
est pressure, and a means is provided whereby the con- 
densed steam is removed as formed* 



— 329 — 
TEMPEKATUEES OF STEAM AT VARIOUS PRESSURES. 

The following table showing the temperature of 
steam at various pressures will be found useful for 
reference when it is desired to determine the tem- 
perature of the steam at any pressure usually carried 
in a laundry. 



GaiifTe pressure 
in pounds 
per sq. in. 


Temperature in 
degrees F. 


Total heat in 

heat units from water 

at 32 degrees F. 


40 


280.51 


1169.3 


50 


297.46 


1172.6 


55 


302.42 


1174.2 


60 


307.10 


1175.6 


65 


311.54 


1176.9 


70 


315.77 


n78.2 


75 


319.80 


1179.5 


80 


323.66 


1180.6 


85 


327.36 


1181.8 


90 


330.92 


1182.8 


95 


334.35 


1183.9 


100 


337.66 


1184.9 


105 


340.86 


1185.9 


110 


343.95 


1186.8 


115 


346.94 


1187.7 


120 


349.85 


1188.6 


125 


352.68 


1189.5 



— 330 — 



CHAPTER 5. 

STEAM MANGLES. 

The modern large mangle may be divided into three 
distinct types: First, a machine like that shown in 
Fig. 92, having a large steam-heated cylinder with 
several rolls running in contact, the latter being cov- 
ered with a fibrous material and pressing against the 
heated cylinder with considerable force. These cov- 
ered rolls are placed on the upper side of the cylinder 
and surround the top. They are provided with pres- 
sure springs attached to sliding boxes in which are 
mounted the covered rolls. These springs are com- 
pressed by means of a handscrew, which causes greater 
or less pressure of the rolls on the cylinder, as may be 
desired. Beneath the heated roll are two endless aprons 
which carry the goods in contact with the cylinder and 
around it, returning them under the cylinder between 
the two aprons and delivering them to the receiving 
table. This class of machine gives a finish to the goods 
in the first operation and dries them out in the second 
operation, while the apron holds them in contact with 
the heated cylinder. The arrangement of the rolls and 
the apron is such that nearly the whole circumference 
of the cylinder is brought into contact with the goods. 
That is to say, the goods pass nearly around the cyl- 
inder, giving the machine great capacity. 

The second type of machine, illustrated in Fig. 93, 
consists of a series ., of crescent-shaped, steam-heated 



331 — 




332 




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— 335 — 

shoes in which revolve padded cylinders. These cres- 
cent plates or chests are so arranged that the goods will 
pass between one covered cylinder and its accompany- 
ing steam-chest to another covered cylinder and steam- 
chest, and so continne until the goods are dried and 
ironed. One make of this class of machine, the 
Paragon, Fig. 94, is made in sections, and, when 
a greater capacity is desired, new sections are added. 
This machine is sometimes arranged with revolving 
heated cylinders running in contact with a padded 
drum, BO that the goods are first ironed on one side and 
then on the other. The revolving heated cylinder gives 
the goods a finish, and the stationary shoe gives it the 
drying capacity. The A. T. Ilagen Co. make a machine 
which has an arrangement of endless aprons to carry 
the goods back underneath and in contact with the 
heated plates. The surfaces of these plates are finished 
on a planer, making a smooth surface for the aprons to 
move over. After the goods have been carried back the 
full extent of the heated surface, they pass between two 
aprons and return to the delivering table. 

This machine has a large capacity and produces a 
fine finish on all grades of table linen. The tendency 
of this method of ironing is to finish the work without 
exerting an excessive pressure at any point. The pres- 
sure is distributed throughout the surface of the plates, 
the goods being drawn firmly along the hot surface, 
giving them that finish so much desired by the owners 
of fine table linen. The cylinder of the padded drum 
is perforated to allow tlie escape of steam which is 
evaporated from the goods. 

The third class of mangles, The "American" Mam- 
moth, as shown in Figs. 95 and 95a, is constructed with 



33G — 




W 

n ^ 
o d 

o b 

w -a 

w S 



007 




— 338 — 

a large circular drum which is heated with steam, 
and arranged to move around it is an endless apron 
which carries the goods in contact with the heated 
surface while the drum remains stationary. Above 
the drum are arranged in reverse order two con- 
cave steam-heated chests, and revolving in contact 
with these chests are two padded cylinders. The 
goods are fed in at the top of the machine be- 
tween the first steam-chest and the first padded cyl- 
inder, and are ironed on the side next to the iron- 
ing chest. Then the goods are passed to the next 
covered cylinder and are ironed on the opposite side 
of the goods by passing in contact with the other iron 
chest. The direction taken by the goods is on a curve 
shaped like the letter S. The goods are then carried 
to the large steam-heated drum and slid around it by 
means of revolving carrier rolls and endless aprons. 
This machine aifords a large heating surface, and it 
subjects the goods to such friction under slight pres- 
sure that it produces a soft and beautiful finish on bed 
and table linen. It, in fact, affords a means of ironing 
any piece, from a lace curtain to a bedspread. 

The three machines just described are well adapted 
to all grades of work. There are other machines, how- 
ever, made on a large scale, which perform the function 
of drying machines rather than that of mangles. Like 
the machines just described, they have large capacity, 
and where the laundryman has a large number of sheets 
and pillow-cases to launder, these machines are recom- 
mended on account of their simplicity and the little 
wear they produce on the goods. One of the machines 
alluded to is illustrated in Fig. 96. It is constructed 
with a very large perforated drum, which is covered 
with a regular mangle covering, and surrounding this 



3:59 




— 340 — 

drum is a series of concave steam-chests Avliich are in 
contact with the drum, and the surfaces of these steam- 
chests conform to the circumference of the drum. The 
drum is revolved, carrying the goods against the steam- 
heated concave plates or chests. Arranged at the de- 
livering side of the mangle is a padded roller running 
in an opposite direction to the motion of the large drum. 
This roll takes the goods off the large drum and passes 
them on between itself and the steam-heated cylinder, 
giving the goods a slight finish just before they leave 
the machine. This machine is an excellent one for 
heavy pieces, such as bedspreads, roller towels, sleep- 
ing-car linen, and all goods that absorb large quantities 
of moisture. It is an exceedingly simple machine for 
one so large, and is built on scientific principles that 
give it great drying caj^acity. 

Another machine which acts more as a dryer than 
as a mangle is made with a series of steam-heated plates 
through which passes an endless apron to carry the 
goods in contact with the large heated surface. The 
friction of the goods against the iron produces a very 
good finish, which is desirable where a large quantity 
of bed linen is handled. 

Much thought and much experimenting have been 
given to the subject of material for covering mangle 
drums. Experience has taught that the best material 
to use for this purpose is an all-wool fabric of good 
absorbent quality. Wool absorbs and evaporates mois- 
ture very rapidly, and for this reason it is much better 
than material made of cotton or a mixture of cotton 
and wool. The coarser the weave of the wool covering 
the better will it allow free evaporation. 



— o-tl — 




— 342 — 

Too much covering shoiilJ not be put on the drums, 
as it will produce a thickness too great for the moisture 
to pass through. If the drums are padded and are too 
large in diameter, thej will crowd when in a concave 
steam-chest and the goods will feed through only with 
difficulty. Outside of the wool covering there should 
be wound two or three thicknesses of good muslin in 
order to give a smooth surface to iron on. 

There are mangles of more or less capacity which 
are built with simply a large heated cylinder having 
smaller padded rolls running in contact with it. This 
class of machine, of which an example is shown in Fig. 
97, is made in all sizes, from one in which the ca- 
pacity is very limited, up to a machine which has 
nearly the capacity of the largest mangles already de- 
scribed. The largest machines, in some instances, have 
an extra heated cylinder so arranged that the machine 
will iron the work on both sides. The work done 
on these machines, especially on table linen, is very 
near perfection. It is necessary, however, to dry the 
work and redampen it, with the exception, perhaps, 
of the work from the larger machines. A laundryman 
doing a small business in mangle work had best have 
a machine of this class. The makers of these machines 
do not claim that they compete in the cost of doing 
work with the other class of machines, but they do 
claim that the quality of the work can not be improved. 

Goods will have a better finish that are dried and 
redanvpened before mangling; and while it is not 
practical to do this in connection with a large business, 
where circumstances will permit, it is always advisable 
to do so, as the goods finish much softer and usually 
give better satisfaction. 



— 343 — 




if 

'I 

O T3 



— 344 — 




— 345 — 

Manufacturers usually arrange their machines so 
that any degree of speed may be obtained, making it 
possible to increase the capacity where the pressure of 
steam will warrant it, or, in other words, regulate the 
speed of the machine to the pressure of the steam. If 
it is found that the goods do not dry by one passage 
through, the machine should be given a slower motion 
in order to allow the steam sufficient time to dry the 
goods. 

There is much difficulty experienced in feeding 
goods into a mangle so that the edges will be straight, 
and especially is this true of large pieces. An auto- 
matic apron feed has been recently invented which 
largely overcomes this difficulty. It not only affords 
a means of feeding goods into the mangle evenly, but 
it also affords a safety appliance as well, and should be 
attached to every mangle. More terrible accidents 
have occurred with steam mangles than with any other 
laundry machine or device. In order to feed goods 
into the ordinary mangle the operator's fingers must 
go dangerously near the line of contact between the 
rolls of the mangle, and a slip of the foot or a push 
from another operator, or many other causes, will bring 
the operator's hand in contact with the rolls. The re- 
lentless machine pulls in the victim, making it the 
most cruel accident which can be imagined. A laun- 
dryman may not do any thing more humane than to 
attach a safety appliance to his mangles, unless he 
already has them. 

Two mangles representative of other types are The 
Crawford and The Columbus, shown in Figs. 98 and 
99. 



— 346—' 



CHAPTEK 6. 

METHODS OF THE MANGLE-ROOM. 

As the goods come from the extractor they should 
be placed in the tumbler, which is a machine for shak- 
ing out the goods and leaving them in a loose condition, 
to be sorted and straightened out. The goods are under 
great pressure in the extractor from the centrifugal 
force, which compresses them firmly together, and be- 
fore they can be handled to advantage it is necessary 
to shake them out. This difficulty occurs more espec- 
ially in soft goods, such as towels, tablespreads and 
soft napkins. The trouble is not experienced so much 
in sheets and pillow-cases and goods of similar char- 
acter, wdiich have more of a wiry thread, and they might 
be handled without the use of the tumbler. However, 
it is a small matter to run the goods a little while in a 
tumbler, which will thoroughly loosen them and put 
them in the condition necessary for rapid handling. 

After the goods have been thoroughly shaken up 
they should all be placed on a large, roomy table and 
as many hands as possible should sort the pieces into 
lots by themselves, and carefully straighten them out, 
laying them in bunches ready for feeding to the mangle. 
The larger pieces, such as sheets and spreads, should 
not be folded through the center,, but they should be 
gathered together in such a way that as one edge enters 
the mangle the article may be conducted into the ma- 
chine without its bunching up or forming Avrinkles. 



— 347 — 

The goods, as tliej are folded, should be shaken well 
by hand to remove the lint which is on them, and to 
straighten the fringe, if there is any. 

Feeding small articles requires more operators than 
when feeding larger ones. When small pieces, such 
as napkins, are being run, as many operators as can 
conveniently stand at the machine are necessary. 
About the same number of operators is required to 
receive the goods as to feed them, in order to get the 
largest capacity out of the machine when on small 
pieces. The larger pieces require only two operators 
to feed them, two to receive them, and two to fold. 

Good mangle work requires that the edges of the 
goods be ironed straight, and considerable skill is nec- 
essary to do this. The feeders should have long prac- 
tice and learn to work in unison. If not, they will 
find it hard to prevent one side of the piece from get- 
ting started ahead of the other, or the corners from" 
starting ahead of the center. In either case the article 
would have an unsightly appearance after coming 
through, and would not pass as good laundry work, 
even though the washing and finishing may be perfect. 
The operators who receive the goods also require con- 
siderable practice to get the correct fold, and to keep 
up with the capacity of the machine. 

The small pieces are folded on the receiving table, 
but the larger pieces must be folded in the air. As 
a large piece comes from the machine, two operators 
take hold of the corners of the article when it first 
emerges. Then, as the article moves forward, the oper- 
ators carry it along, and just as the last end of the ar- 
ticle leaves the machine two other operators catch the 
corners, and the garment is folded through the center, 



— 3-48 — 

the center forming the edge of the fold which hangs 
down between the operators. The ends are then 
brought together, making another fold, and so on, until 
the article is folded as compact as is desired. All this 
has to be done very rapidly in order to keep pace with 
the machine, and it requires expert operators or the 
capacity of the machine will be lessened. All goods 
having fringe should be brushed out with a hand-brush, 
or, what is better still, with a revolving brush. 

Usually all kinds of mangle work are finished by 
passing once through the luachine ; and with the modern 
large mangle, if any goods are not finished dry by one 
passage, it would indicate the goods were left too wet, or 
that there is not sufficient heat in the cylinders. In 
the event that the first is true, better extracting is re- 
quired, and should the second be the cause, more steam 
pressure is required, or attention should be given to 
the steam-trap. If the trap is not working as it should 
be, water will remain in the cylinders and decrease the 
heating capacity to a great extent. All conditions being 
right, any one of these large mangles will finish the 
work direct from the extractor, iron it dry with one 
passage through the machine, and as fast as is possible 
to feed the goods and to receive them. Of course, ex- 
ceptions should be made in the case of roller towels 
where there are two thicknesses, and in the case of 
counterpanes, and goods of a similar nature. 



— 349 — 

A good foriniila for making potash soap, especially 
adaj)ted for washing woolens : Boil together 50 pounds 
of olive oil roots, 50 pounds of tallow, then add to this 
five pails of water, and enough caustic potash to make 
a solution of a specific gravity of 20 degrees Beaume- 
hydrometer test. After this add enough hot water to 
make 120 gallons of solution, then boil slowly with open 
steam pipe until solution saponifies. 

Don't add potash while hot water is running on as 
it will foam and overflow. This formula affords an 
excellent soap for washing any soft garments of the 
wool nature, as it softens the fiber and prevents the 
harshness which is common in flannels washed with a 
soda soap. 

Formiila for making bleach solution from chloride 
of lime: 25 pounds of chloride of lime, 4^ pounds of 
caustic soda ; place in a barrel, add 36 gallons of cold 
water. Have lime mixed with water before soda is 
added, let solution stand six hours, then draw off the 
clear liquid and put it in a stone crock. This will 
make a bleach solution of the specific gravity of 12 to 
15 degrees test with Beaume-hydrometer. 

This formula is to be used in connection with wash- 
ing formulas given in foregoing pages of this work. 



350 — 





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353 



INDEX. 



Acetic acid, quantity employed, 
233 

souring with, 232 

test for, 233 

use of, 23 
Air pipes, 96 

pump, 96 

removal of, from collars, 264 
Alum, best kind for coagulant, 
223 

use of, 219 
Aniline, 18, 23 
Backs, how ironed, 138 

ironer, 106 
Band clamps, 277 

clamp, use of, 288 

fixing a crushed, 296 

ironer, Hagen, 116, 294 

ironer, Henrici, 115 

ironer, Hoyt, 113 

ironer, roll for, 293 

ironer, Troy, 112 

ironer, shoe, American, 292 

ironer, shoe. Nelson & Kreuter, 
292 

ironers, 111 

ironers, relative merits of, 
291 

ironing, points in, 293 

laundering, 62 

how. ironed, 138, 142 
Bar for hanging collars and 
cuffs, 59 

for hanging shirts, 51 
Bleaching, 20 

solution, method of using, 234 

for mangle work, 323 
Bleach, manufactured, 230 

solution, formula for, 349 
Blower, Root, 94 
Blue, excessive, to remove, 25 



Bluing for mangle work, 322, 323 

tanks, 225 

time required for, 26 
Body ironer, American, 109 

ironer, Hagen, 108 

ironer, Henrici, 122, 126 

ironer. Nelson and Kreuter, 
107 
Body ironers, comparison of, 110 
Body ironing. 120, 131, 150, 295 

method of, 124 

ironing, pressure in, 289 
Bosom ironer, "Newark," 276 

ironer, principle of, 274 

ironer, steam-heated, 309 

ironer, Watson, 101, 102, 122, 
123 

fixing, 143 

fixing on open fronts, 145 

fixing table, the, 117 

ironer, Henrici, 103, 104 

ironer, large roll, Grever, Ker- 
kofiC & Co.'s, 279 

pique, how ironed, 134 

plaited, how ironed, 134 

starcher. Brace, 246 

starcher. Brace, 246 

starcher, Hagen, 249 

stretchers, 277 
Box, dampening, 81 

shirt, capacity of, 127 
Boxing, 159 
Burners, gas, 93 

Chlorine fluid, method of using, 
230 

in bleaching. 22 

liquid, 20, 21 
Clamp, neckband, use of, 288 
Cleaner, duties of, 156 

equipment for, 156 
Cloths, wiping, 55. 56, 57 



— 354 — 



Coagulent, 218 

Collar and cuff ironer, Adams 
"H," 180 
Ironer, Columbia, 181 
ironer, "Gardner," 183 
ironer,, steam, Hagen, 187 
ironer. Mammoth, 178 
ironer. Monarch, 175 
ironer, Nelson & Kreuter, 184 
ironer, Sinclair, 185 
ironer, Troy, No. 5, 177 
ironer, Troy, No. 6, 182 
ironer, Watkins, 194 
ironers, capacity of. 176 
ironing, 174. 299 
ironing machines, 174 
Collars and cuffs, feeding to 
starcher, 266 
hanging, 59 
starching, 57, 60 
washing white, 234 
wiping, 265 
Collar shapers, 191, 304 

removal of air from. 262 
shaping, 190 
starched, finish for, 58 
tipper, 183, 186 
Colored goods, fading of, 268 
Color, formula for, 27 
importance of, 18 
for new work, how to obtain, 

23 
permanency of, to obtain, 24 
test for, 29 

uniform, production of, 23 
Coloring, 23 
Colors, aniline. 18 
Colors, mixing, 27 
Curdling, remedy for, 229 
Curtains, laundering lace, 243 
Custom laundering, 195 

laundering, chief requisites of, 

195, 196 . 
laundering, general principles, 

195 
work, comparison with new 
work, 196 
Cylinder, brass washer, 207 
Dash wheel, 3 
belt for, 6 
capacity of, 3, 19 
connections of, 5 
operation of, 20 



Dash wheel, tying shirts for, 3, 19 
Dampener, collar and cuff, Adams, 
76 

shirt, Troy, 74 

skirt, Sinclair, 78 

speed of rolls in, 77 
Dampening bos, 81 

for hand work, 87 

machines, 75, 77, 272 

method of. 79 

room, 73, 270 

room, location of, 73 

room, racks for, 73, 75 

sheet method. 270 

short-time work, 270 

press, power screw, 87 
Dew point, 64 
Dipping, 26 
Dipwheel, the. 224 

comparison with other starch- 
ing machines, 259 

how used, 260 

starch for, 266 

use of for collars, 57 
Disinfecting machine, 209 
Domestic finish, 278 
Drying, theory of, 64, 65 
Dry room, 64 

arrangement of air supply in, 
65 

automatic conveyer, 71 

condenser, for, 65 

heating surface for, 66 

metallic, 68, 69, 70 

metallic. American, 68 

metallic. Henrici. 70 

wood, standard, 67. 69 

wood, Watkins, 67 

ventilation for, 64, 66 
Dye, aniline, 18, 23 

used for colored shirts, 238 

ultramarine. 18 
Edge ironers, 192, 193, 303 
Examining room, the, 156 
Extracting, duration of, 29 
Extractor, 11 

collar and cuff, 262 

construction of, 10 

dangers of. 12 

dr.ving capacity of, 12 

general principles of, 9 

Hagen, 15 

Henrici, 13 



— 355 — 



Exractor, Watkins, 14 

sizes of, 16 

speeds for, 16 

starch for, 263. 
Eyelet raiser, 157 
Fading of colored goods, 268 
Fan, air supply, 92, 94, 95 

American, 94, 96 

exhaust, 327 
Felt, use of in ironing, 133, 137, 281 
Filter, 217 

Bowden, 220 

frequency of washing a, 223 

Jewell, 222 

mechanical, 221 

New York, 218 

necessity for, 217 

pressure, 219 

size for a laundry, 221 

where most needed, 217 
Filtering, principle of, 217 
Finishing machine, 284 

Henrici, 281 

Nelson & Kreuter, 283 
Flannels, washing, 236 

washing, dark-colored, 242 
Floor, cement, construction of, 33 

cement, formula for, 34 
Fluter, 308 
Folding machines, 126 

shirts. 153 
Formula for bleach solution, 349 

for cement floor, 34 

for color, 27, 28 

for potash soap, 349 
Gas burners, 93, 95 

gasoline. 89 

illuminating, 89 

kinds available for ironing, 88 

machine, Springfield, 90 

machine, Vernon, 90, 91 

supply, 92 
Gloss. 280 

dampness for, 301 

how obtained, 299 

theory of, 301 
Goods, new, color for, 18 
Hanging colored shirts, 52 

collars and cuffs, 59 

white shirts, 51 
Indigo. 19 
Iron, Crown, 306 

"Jumbo" flat, 306 



Ironer, equipment for, 164 

band. 111, 114 

body, steam-heated, 309 

combination, 300 

Gardner, 299 
Ironing, 163 

dampening for, 164 

order of operations in, 165 

in machine laundries, 167 

Stone "racer," 105, 278 

neckband, relative merits of, 
291 

bodies, 150, 295 

collars and cuffs, 299 

custom work, 285 

duck coats, 307 

hand, 163 

how to obtain good results in, 
302 

ladies' clothes, 307 

machine, 99 

machine, process of, 128 

machines, air for, 92 

machines, arrangement for, 100 

machines, piping for, 92 

machines, speed of, 105 

miscellaneous, 305 

negligee shirts, 297 

pique bosoms, 290 

plaited bosoms, 289 

room, 88, 274 

room, heat for, 88 

room, location of, 33 

room, machines for, 100 

room, methods. 98, 285 

room, racks for, 127 

shirts. 274 

shirts by hand, 98 

shirts by hand and machine, 
99, 169 

shirts, silk. 297 

sleeves, 150 

table for negligee shirts, 169 

yokes, plan for, 100 
Irons, temperature for, 165, 167 
Lace curtains, laundering, 243 
Ladies' underwear, washing, 241 

white skirts, washing, 241 
Lime, use of, 219 
Madras shirts, how laundered, 172 
Mangle, American Mammoth, 336, 
337 

"Annihilator," 331 



— 356 — 



Mangle, covering, material for, 
340 

work, bleaching for, 323 

capacity of, 348 

Columbus, 344 

Crawford, 343 

description of, 330 

extracting for, 320 

feeding, 345, 347 

Hagen five-roll, 332, 333 

Paragon, 334 

Poland, 341 

room, 326 

room, floor for, 326 

room, methods of the, 346 

room, ventilation of, 326 

speed for, 345 

steam supply for, 326 

steam trap for, 328 

Wiles duplex, 339 

work, comparison with ordi- 
nary work, 317 
Marking, 310 
Napkins, finish for, 325 
Neckband, see band 
Negligee shirts, folding, 170 

shirts, ironing, 170 

shirts, laundering, 241 

shirts, pinning, 171 

shirts, table for folding, 170 

work, laundering, 168 

work, neckbands on, launder- 
ing separately, 168 
Odds and Ends, 224 
Old work, laundering, 195 
Oxalic acid, effect of. 24 

plan of color with, 24 

souring with, 232 
Oxygen, function of in bleaching, 

22 
Percale shirts, how laundered, 

172 
Pique bosoms, ironing, 134, 290 
Plaited bosoms, ironing, 134, 289 
Plait raisers, 127 
Pressure in bosom ironing, 289 
Puff bosom shirts, how laundered, 

171 
Racks for ironing room, 127 
Rinse, preparation of, 26 

temperature for, 231 
Saw-edge machines, 193. 303 
Scalding. 230 
Seam dampener, 189 



Seam dampener, water for. 190 
Shafting for starchroom, 35 
Shapers, collar, 304 
Shirts, bars for hanging, 51 

with colored bosoms, coloring, 
31 

with colored bosoms, wash- 
ing, 30 

with colored bosoms and white 
bodies, wasliing, 239 

colored, dyes used for, 238 

colored, hanging, 52 

colored, hot solution on, 30 

colored, starching, 57 

colored, washing, 238 

fancy, washing, 240 

folding, 153 

hanging white, 51 

ironing, 274 

Ironing by hand, 9S 

ironing by hand and machine, 
99. 169 

madras, how laundered, 172 

negligee, folding. 170 

negligee, ironing, 170. 297 

negligee, ironing table for, 169 

negligee, laundering, 16S, 241 

negligee, pinning, 171 

negligee, table for folding, 170 

new, ironing by machine, 101 

open-front, how ironed, 133 

open-front, ironing by hand, 
166 

starching open-front, 56 

percale, how laundered, 172 

placing on bosom board, 286, 
287 

puff bosom, how laundered, 171 

press, 272 

press, Hagen, SO 

press, Henrici, 84, 85 

press. Nelson & Kreuter, 82 

press, Watkins, 83 

shape for after ironing, 286 

silk, ironing, 197 

starcher. Bishop, 251 

starcher, Illini, 252 

starchers, operation of pres- 
sure, 255 

starchers, operation of rub- 
bing, 257 

starching machines, principles 
of, 244 

tying for the dash-wheel, 19 



357 



Shirts, white, washing, 19, 29, 

227 
Shrinljing, cause of, 235 
Skirts, washing ladies' white, 241 
Sleeve ironers, 120 

ironer, Troy, 121 

ironing, 150 
Soaking tanks, 226 
Soap chips, 16 

economy in buying, 16 

neutral, 17 

potash, formula for, 349 

strength of, 17 

"strong," 17 

tank for making, 16 

tank, use of, 17 
Sorting, 310. 312 
"Souring," 23 

methods of, 231 
Specials, handling, 314 
Sponging, method of, 134 
Starch cooker. Bishop, 49 

cooking, 48 

cooking, method for. 52 

cooking, tank for, 6, 48 

extractor, 263 

for dipwheel, 266 

formulas for, 27, 28 

preparation of, 52 

surplus, removing, 258 

temperature of, 62 

water in, 62 
Starched collars, finish for. 58 
Starcher, band, 44 

band. Brace, 40 

band, Hagen, 47 

collar, 37 

collar and cuff. Bishop, 43 

collar and cuff, Economic, 45 

collar and cuff. Eureka, 44 

collar and cuff, Ewing, 43 

collar and cuff. Hagen, 41 

collar and cuff. McKay, 38 

collar and cuff. Troy, 39 

collar and cuff, Weldon, 42 

feeding collars and cuffs to, 
266 

Benjamin shirt, 35 

New Universal shirt, 36 

stripping device for, 267 

for custom work, 254 
Starching colored shirts, 57 

collars and cuffs, colored, 60 



Starching, with dip wheel, 260 

finishing after, 262 

machine, capacity of, 54 

machine, operation of, 58 

methods of, 54 

method for colored work, 53 

white work, perfection in, 59 

open-fronts, 56 
Starchroom, 33, 244 

arrangement of machinery in, 
50 

floor for, 33 

location of, 33 

machinery for, 35 

methods, 254 

shafting for, 35 

plan for, 244 

tables for, 50 
Stamps, rubber, for ironing room, 

127 
Steam trap, 328 
Sterilizer, American, 213 
Stockings, washing black, 242 
Stripping device for starchers, 267 
Table for folding negligee shirts, 
170 

bosom fixing, 282 

linen, finish for, 325 

for starchroom, 50 

of temperatures of steam, 329 

of water analyses. 350 
Tank, bluing, 225 

for cooking starch, 6, 48 

for hot-water storage, 9 

soaking, 226 

for making soap, 16 

for washer, 6 
Temperatures of steam, table of, 

329 
Truck, dampening, 81 
Tubs, stationary, 225 
Tumbler, the, 224 
Ultramarine, 18 

Underwear, washing ladies', 241 
Uniform color, production of, 233 
Ventilation of mangle room, 326 
Waists, ladies', ironing, 298 
Washer, all-metal, 207 

all-metal, American, 210 
Columbia, 216 
brass cylinder, 207 
brass cylinder. Nelson & Kreu- 
ter, 208 



— 358 — 



Washer, iron-liead, 205 
cylinder, metallic, 321 
double gear, American, 212 
gearing for, 209 
outer cylinder of galvanized 

iron, 209 
tank for, 6 
Watkins, 206 
woven- wire, 215 

Washing machines, 202 
machine, belt for, 201 
machine, capacity of, 227 
machines, comparison of, 203 
machine, construction of, 203 
machines, principle of, 202 
machine, purchase of a, 205 
machine, ventilation for, 211 
mangle work, methods of, 323 
miscellaneous, 242 
process of. 18 

Washovers, 31 

Washroom, construction of, 198 
equipment of, 3 
location of, 33 
for mangle work, arrangement 

of, 320 
methods in, 227 
old work, 198 
shafting for. 201 



Washroom, water supply for, 199 
Water analyses, table of, 350 

heater, 8 

heater, construction of a, 199 

hot, necessity for system, 7 

hot, tank for storage, 9 

methods of heating, 7 

purifier, Monitor, 8 
Weight, to obtain, 28 
White collars and cuffs, washing, 
234 

work, perfection in starch- 
ing. 59 
Wiping collars and cuffs, 265 

cloths, 55, 56, 57 
Woolens, washing, 235 
Work, classification of. 1 

new, importance of launder 
ing well, 2 
Wringer, power roll, 48 
Wrinkles, removal of. 262 
AVristband. see band 
Yoke clamps. 277 

inside, how ironed. 129, 130 

ironing, 100 

setter, Hagen. 118 

setter. Henrici, 119 

setting, 147 

setting machines, 117 



Adams Laundry Machinery Co, 



Factory, Main ( J93J ^^ J939 Sixth Ave., 

Office and 1 

Salesroom, (TROY, N Y., U. S. A. 



Ne^w York Office, London Agent, 

832 P^rk Ro^ Bldg., R. G. WHITAKER, 

Opposite 4 Hartivell St., 

NcHV York Postoffice. Datston, N. E., London, England. 



American Laundry Machinery Co, 

General Office and Manufactory, 

206-2 \ 4 W. Pearl St., Cincinnati, O., U. S. A. 
SALESROOMS : 

42 Cortlandt St., New York. J. M. ARTHUR & CO.. 

nn c VI r. 77- c, 7/^1- 40 First St., Portland, Ore. 

119 South Franklin Street, Chicago. WALTER TIPS 

81-83 High St., Fulham, London, Eng. 708-710 Congress Ave., Austin, Tex. 

198-208 Ave. du Main, Paris, France. L. HERMANSON, Sidney, Australia. 



The Arabol Mfg. Co., 

155 William St., NEW YORK, 

MAKERS OF 

Lcm^ HIGH GRADE STARCH 

FOR THE MODERN LAUNDRY. 

WM. WALTKE & CO., J. M. LONG CO., 

Agents for St. Louis Agents for Cincinnati 

and Southivest. and mcinity. 




The O* Armleder Co*^ 

Cincinnati, O. 

Builders of 

HIGH GRADE DELIVERY WAGONS. 

ArmJeder Quality is 

Honest Quality 

Always. 

Geo* H* Bishop^ 

Manufacturer of 

LAUNDRY Specialties. 

59 and 61 West "Washington St., - - CHICAGO. 

Pacific Coa.st Agents, Foreign Agents, 

Western Laundry Machinery Co., Isaac Braithwaite & Son, 
37 Second St., San Francisco, Cat. Kendal, England. 

Camden & Phila^ Soap Co* 

PENROSE W. HIRST, 
Supt. and Trcas. 

FAMOUS XXX LAUNDRY 
SUPPLIES. 

Factory and Main Office, Chicago Office and Stores, 

507-5 J I Main St., 28 and 30 S. Clinton St. 

CAMDEN, N. J. A. B. FIELD, Mgr. 



W. E. Caldwell Co., 

CYPRESS TANKS 
FOR HOT OR COLD WATER. 

Louisville, Ky» 

E^^-.^..-,^:/* "^Jli^ r^^ 118-20 Main Street, 
COnOmiC Mig, L^C, East orange, NJ.,U.S. a. 



ONE-STROKE EDGER. 



Electric Laundry Machinery Co* 

X 

Manufacturers of Specialties 

for Collars and Cuffs 

36 La Salle St., Chicago, III. 

The Ewing Machine Co., 

Manufacturers of 

The Ewing Collar and Cuff Starcher, 

Minneapolis, Minn. 

Fry Bros* & Co*, 

Manufacturers 

MODERN LAUNDRY SUPPLIES. 
208 Race Street, CINCINNATI, O. 



A* T* Hagen Co*^ 

MODERN 

LAUNDRY 

MACHINERY, 

ROCHESTER, N, Y. 

Western Branch, Foreign Office, 

26 S. Clinton St. I. Braith'wa.ite & Son, 

Chicago, III. Kendal, England. 

24 Garlic Hiil, E. C, 
London, England. 

The Hall-Moore Co*^ 

fnTDe'Szt LAUNDRY Supplies. 

SOAPS A SPECIALTY. 

Salesroom and Office. ^<-it t-t 7t-t a -RT-rv /-\ 

60 Merwin Street, CLEVELAND. O. 

L. D. Pfione Bell Main 2866. 
*' Cuyahoga R 802. 



Henrici Laundry Machinery Co* 

W. A. E. Henrici, Prop. 

Chelsea, Mass., U. S. A. 

European Co-operati've 

Firms. 

The British Henrici Laundry Machinery Co., Ltd., London, E. C, 

England. 
The Walham Green Henrici Laundry, Fulham Road, London, S, 

W. England. 
Henrici's Wascherei Maschinen Gesellschaft, Berlin, 0. German-^. 
HenricCs Wascherei Gesellschaft, Berlin, 0. Germany. 
Henrici's Wascherei Gesellschaft, Ftoridsdorf, Wien, Austria. 



J* Jenks & Co*; Inc^^ 

Harbor Beach, Mich. 

JENKS^ WHEAT STARCH. 

(The best there is.) 

SCHOELLKOPF, HARTFORD & HANNA CO. 

Distributors. 

NEW YORK. CHICAGO. 

MILWAUKEE; KANSAS CITY. 



KINGSFORD^S 



THIN-BOILING COMPLETE STARCH. 

Manufacturers— T. Kingfsfofd & Son, —Oswego, N. Y. 

Selling Agents. 
Ne<w York Soa.p Works, Rosenblatt & Co., 6 Desbrosses St. 
Camden & Phila. Soap Co., Camden, N.J. 
Camden & PhUa. Soap Co., Chicago, III. 
Wm. Waltke & Co., St. Louis, Mo. 

H* Kohnstamm & Co* 

Established 1853. 

LAUNDERERS^ 
MATERIALS. 

44 West Broadway, N. Y. 

112 Franklin St., Chicago. 
Starch Factories, Pavonia Junction, N. J. 
Soap and Bleach Works, Brooklyn, N. Y. 



Laundry Account Books* 

New System^ Combining Practical Economy 
with Accuracy and Simplicity. 

BOOK DEPARTMENT, 

The Starchroom Publishing Co., 

Cincinnati, O. 



J* M. Long Co. 

SOAP AND 
LAUNDRY 
SUPPLIES. 

Cincinnati. 
St. Louis. 



Nelson & Kreuter^ 

955-975 North 
Spaulding Ave., 
Chicago, 111. 

Agents. 

WESTERN LAUNDRY MACHINERY CO., 

San Francisco, Cal. 

AUBLET, HARRY & CO.. FERGUSON & McRAE, 

London, England. Belfast, Ireland. 



New York Laundry Machinery Co» 

Cable Address, "NIHILATOR." 
Factory^ Sooth Windham^ Conn. 

Office and Warerooms, 
124 West Houston St., 

NEW YORK. 




Wm. Phillips 
& Co. 

Northville, 
Mich. 

LAUNDRY 
MACHINERY 



792 West 
Madison Street. 



Salter Mfg. Co., 

TOWEL 

SUPPLY CHICAGO, 

CASES 



ILL. 



The Simplex Electrical Company. 

Electric Laundry Irons. 
Electric Heaters of Every Description. 

U37-8 Monadnocfc Block. Cambridgeport, Mass. 



F. A. Walker, C T_I Cit-»/-l<iYf C^r\ M.B. Fithian 

President. O* JTl* OlllCiair V-lO* Secretary. ' 

Chicago. 
Manufacturers of an unsurpassed line of 

LAUNDRY 
MACHINERY 

/. BRAITHWAITE & SON, L BRAITHWAITE & SON. 

Kendal, England. 24 Garlic Hill, 

London, E, C, England. 

The Alden Speare^s Sons Co* 

The Largest Laundry Supply 
House in the World. 

Factoriest 
E. Cambridge^ Mass. Watcrtown, Mass. Chicagfo, III. 

Salesrooms, 
No. 369 Atlantic Ave., Boston. 
No. J 00 William St., New York. 
No. 9 Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. 

The Starchroom. 

An Up-to-Date Laundry Journal. $1.00 the Year, 

THE STARCHROOM PUBLISHING CO., 

CINCINNATI, O. 

Steel Roll Mangle Co*^ 

Chicago, 111. 
LAUNDRY MACHINERY, LAUNDRY 
TOOLS AND LAUNDRY SUPPLIES. 



Troy Laundry Machinery Co*^ Ltd, 

TROY, N. Y. NEW YORK CITY. 

Fulton and 4th Sts. 258 Broadway. 

CHICAGO, ILLS. SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 
389-40J Fifth Ave. 583 Mission St. 

Foreign Salesrooms, 
London, E. C, England, 116 Queen Victoria St. 
Berlin, S. 0. Germany, ill Wrangel Strasse. 
Amsterdam, Holland, Keizersgracht 745. 
Paris, France, 49 Quai de Boulogne, Boulogne sur Seine. 

The F. M. Watkins Co., 

Spring Grove Ave. and Alabama Street, 
CINCINNATI, O. 

SALESROOMS, 

No. 37 Second Street, San Francisco, Cal. 

No. 334 and 338 N. Main St., - Los Angeles, Cal. 

No. 37 Fruchtstrasse, - — - - - Berlin, Germany. 

No. 10 Hosier Lane, - — - — London, E. C., England. 

Glena-von, Sa<w Mill Road, - — "Partick" Glasgoiv, Scotland. 

Wilsor^ Laundry Machinery Co*^ 

Main Office and Factory, 
COLUMBIA, PA., U. S. A. 

Cable Address, ^'ISACOBIA," Columbia. 

Foreign Selling Agents. 

L BRAITHWAITE & SON, 

Kendal, England, and 24 Garlic Hill, London, E. C, England. 

MORELLE & CO., 

12 Boule<vard Possonniere, Paris, France. 



,»<l^t-asa^ ;^,y-2: 



